ICC rejects PCB demand to remove match referee over no handshake row

The International Cricket Council has rejected the request of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to remove match referee, Andy Pycroft, over his actions in the ‘no handshake controversy’ during the Asia Cup 2025 match against India.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), had sought urgent removal of Pycroft over his ‘no handshake’ message to Pakistan captain Salman Agha during the toss in the India match.

‘The PCB has lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding violations by the Match Referee of the ICC Code of Conduct and the MCC Laws pertaining to the Spirit of Cricket. The PCB has demanded an immediate removal of the Match Referee from the Asia Cup,’ Naqvi wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

‘Late last night, ICC had sent a reply to PCB stating that Pycroft won’t be removed and their plea has been rejected,’ an ICC source told news agency PTI.

The 69-year-old Zimbabwean is due to officiate Pakistan’s final group stage game against the UAE on Wednesday.

Pakistan team manager Naved Cheema had also filed a complaint with the Asian Cricket Council alleging that it was on Pycroft’s insistence that team sheets weren’t exchanged between the two skippers on Sunday as is the norm.

Pakistan To Pull Out Of Asia Cup?

It was also reported that the PCB has threatened to boycott their next game, against the UAE on September 17, if Pycroft was not removed from the referee panel over the no-handshake controversy. The pull-out threat was reported by Pakistan media, but did not surface in any official PCB channel.

It is yet to be ascertained what step the PCB now plans to take as the request for Pycroft’s removal has been rejected by the top cricket body.

Pakistan, with just one win in two matches, have to beat UAE in their next match if they are to qualify for Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 stage. If Pakistan do manage to beat UAE, they will also qualify for the next stage and face India on Sunday.

With PTI Inputs