A controversy during the recent Pakistan-India clash in the Asia Cup was ended on Wednesday with a dramatic twist after match referee Andy Pycroft issued an apology to the Pakistan team, leading Pakistan to withdraw its threat to boycott the tournament and take part in the crucial match against the UAE.
The match began with a delay of one hour, with uncertainty persisting till the last moment. The ICC expressed its willingness to launch an inquiry into the code of conduct violation, although Pycroft has not been removed from his duties.
The Zimbabwean referee officiated Sunday’s politically-charged clash between Pakistan and India, after which the victorious team refused to shake hands with Pakistani players.
Captain Salman Ali Agha and coach Mike Hesson approached them but, understanding the situation, decided to walk away. Even at the toss, there had been no handshake between the captains – reportedly on instructions from match referee Andy Pycroft.
In response, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi demanded Pycroft’s immediate removal from the remaining Asia Cup matches and even threatened to withdraw the team from the tournament if the demand was not met. Until moments before Pakistan’s match against the UAE, uncertainty loomed.
A zoom call took place between PCB and ICC officials, during which the players’ gear was loaded onto the team bus, but the players themselves were not sent to the stadium. Later, they were told the match would not take place and were sent back to their rooms. The PCB even announced an emergency press conference in Lahore.
Following this, the situation changed dramatically. Chairman Mohsin Naqvi consulted former PCB chairmen Najam Sethi and Ramiz Raja. Adviser Aamir Mir told the media to wait, citing a one-hour delay in the match. Eventually, the team received the green light to proceed from the hotel to the stadium.
Match referee Andy Pycroft met with team manager Naveed Akram Cheema and captain Salman Ali Agha, where he termed the no-handshake incident during the Pakistan-India match as a result of “miscommunication” and issued an apology. The ICC also agreed to conduct an inquiry into the code of conduct violation during the September 14 match.
Read more
