The International Cricket Council (ICC) has dismissed Pakistan Cricket Board’s request to drop Zimbabwean referee Andy Pycroft from officiating in the Asia Cup, despite PCB expressing displeasure over the “no handshake” row during their match against India.
PCB’s complaint against Pycroft
The PCB lodged a protest claiming Pycroft had told captain Salman Ali Agha not to shake hands with Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav at the toss on September 14. A separate complaint was also sent to the Asian Cricket Council.
ICC stands firm
Sources confirmed that the ICC responded on Monday night, rejecting the plea. Pycroft, one of the senior-most referees in the Elite Panel, remains scheduled to supervise Pakistan’s final group match against the UAE on September 17.
Fallout within PCB
Team manager Naved Cheema alleged that Pycroft was responsible for the non-exchange of team sheets at the toss. However, officials suggested the confusion stemmed from PCB’s cricket operations head Usman Walha, who failed to brief the captain about the tournament’s “no handshake” policy. Chairman Mohsin Naqvi subsequently removed Walha from his role.
Next steps
While PCB initially pushed for Pycroft’s removal from the entire competition, the ICC’s rejection has forced the board to explore alternatives. Discussions are underway about appointing Richie Richardson for the UAE fixture, though no final decision has been announced.
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