ICC rejects PCB’s complaint against Pycroft amid handshake row

The Pakistan Cricket Board filed a complaint against match referee Andy Pycroft following handshake row. Photo: AFP/file

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly turned down the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) request to remove match referee^[1] Andy Pycroft from the ongoing Asia Cup, following controversy during the high-voltage clash between Pakistan and India in Dubai.

According to Indian media, the PCB had filed a complaint accusing Pycroft of breaching the “Spirit of Cricket” by allegedly instructing the two captains not to shake hands at the toss before Sunday’s game. The matter gained further traction after the Indian team also skipped the customary handshakes at the end of the match^[2], sparking tensions off the field.

“Late last night, ICC had sent a reply to PCB stating that Pycroft won’t be removed and their plea has been rejected,” a source told Press Trust of India^[3].

However, Cricbuzz^[4] reported that the PCB denied receiving any official response from the ICC, leaving the matter in uncertainty. The board has yet to release a formal statement on the issue.

Meanwhile, a report in The Times of India suggested that the directive regarding the handshake came not from Pycroft himself^[5] but from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) officials present on the ground. It remains unclear whether an official “no-handshake” policy had been introduced for the fixture.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, in his earlier remarks, accused the referee of violating both the ICC Code of Conduct and the MCC’s Laws related to the Spirit of Cricket, though he refrained from naming Pycroft directly.

Despite speculation, reports indicate that Pakistan is unlikely to withdraw from the tournament. The ACC has already confirmed that Pycroft will continue in his role, with the Zimbabwean official scheduled to oversee Pakistan’s upcoming group-stage clash against the UAE.

The incident has added another layer of drama to an already tense Asia Cup^[6], as cricket once again finds itself caught in the middle of broader political sensitivities between India and Pakistan.

Disciplinary action

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is considering disciplinary action against the Indian team after their players avoided shaking hands with their Pakistani counterparts after the Asia Cup clash in Dubai^[7]. A final decision will be taken after reviewing all related incidents, with fines on Indian players being a likely outcome.

After the match, Indian players refused to exchange handshakes with Pakistanis, while at the toss the captains also refrained from the customary gesture. Pakistan’s head coach Mike Hesson strongly criticized the behavior, terming it against the spirit of the game.

Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav further stirred controversy by linking the team’s victory to political statements.

“We stand with the victims of the Pahalgam attack and their families. We dedicate today’s win to our armed forces,” he said.

In response, Pakistan team manager Naveed Akram Cheema lodged a formal protest with the match referee, calling the incident “a violation of sportsmanship.” He also revealed that it was the referee who had requested the captains not to shake hands at the toss.

In protest, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha did not attend the post-match presentation ceremony.

Coach Hesson defended the reaction of the Pakistan camp, stating: “What the Indian team did was inappropriate. Pakistan’s response was natural.”

The controversy has now drawn the attention of the ACC^[8], which is weighing possible disciplinary action against the Indian team.