India-Pakistan No Handshake Controversy, Asia Cup 2025: PCB Doubles Down On Pycroft Removal Demand - Report

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) continues to insist on removing match referee Andy Pycroft from Pakistan's remaining Asia Cup 2025 matches. According to reports, the PCB dispatched a second letter to the ICC, requesting Richie Richardson as Pycroft's replacement.

The controversy began after Indian players, led by skipper Suryakumar Yadav, refused to shake hands with their Pakistan counterparts during match 6 of the ongoing continental cricket tournament on Sunday.

Pakistan's Objection To Pycroft Continues

Pakistan retracted its threat to withdraw from the Asia Cup; however, the objection to match referee Andy Pycroft persists. The PCB sent another letter to the ICC, demanding the Zimbabwean official's replacement with Richie Richardson for Pakistan’s remaining matches.

Reports claimed that the PCB dispatched a second communication to the ICC, reiterating its call for Pycroft's removal, but the global body has not yet granted this request. Pycroft is set to officiate Pakistan’s crucial game against the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday.

After the IND vs PAK match, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha skipped the post-match presentation in protest. The PCB criticised Pycroft for the fiasco, claiming he asked Salman not to shake hands with Suryakumar and did not allow the exchange of team sheets between the captains at the toss.

Player Conduct And Financial Implications For Pakistan

Suryakumar Yadav explained his decision to avoid handshakes with rival players as a gesture of solidarity towards the victims of the Pakistan-backed Pahalgam terror attack and the Indian Armed Forces which carried out Operation Sindoor in retaliation.

Pakistan, however, labelled the Indian players' actions as unsporting, while accusing Pycroft of acting in a partisan manner. The PCB then issued a withdrawal threat and demanded Pycroft's removal, a plea the ICC rejected.

Pakistan stands to lose close to USD 16 million if PCB acts on the threat, which would also present very poor optics for the country’s cricket board, currently headed by Mohsin Naqvi, the chair of the Asian Cricket Council.

Breach Of ICC Code Of Conduct Allegations

The initial PCB letter to the ICC outlined specific issues. It stated that, "The match referee failed to discharge his responsibility: to ensure that respect was extended and maintained amongst the captains as well as between the two competing sides; and to create a positive atmosphere by his conduct and encourage the captains and participating teams to do likewise."

"In fact, the match referee's instructions to the two team captains were entirely directed towards achieving the opposite result. This misconduct violates Article 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Match Officials, which specifically makes it an offence for the Match Referee to conduct himself in a manner, which is contrary to the spirit of game and violates the MCC Laws."

"Given the gravity, political nature/background, and far-reaching consequences and repercussions, the misconduct has also caused disrepute to the game, the letter continued.

However, handshakes between rival players exist as a mere convention and are not prescribed under any laws of the game.

BCCI Influence Allegations By PCB Source

Meanwhile, the Dawn quoted a PCB source stating that Pakistan team director Naveed Akram Cheema received information linking Pycroft's actions to the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) wishes. Pakistan's leading daily also reported that Cheema approached tournament director Andy Russell with his concerns.

Russell reportedly informed Cheema that 'the match referee had been acting at the behest of the BCCI'.

Pakistan's Super Four Qualification Scenario

In a winner-takes-all Asia Cup 2025 group match, Pakistan take on the UAE at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. The winners of the match will join India in the Super Four stage from Group A.

The Suryakumar Yadav-led India have already secured their spot with two big wins, first over the UAE and then against Pakistan by nine and seven wickets, respectively.

Oman, having lost both their matches to Pakistan and the UAE, are already out of contention. These results left Pakistan and the UAE fighting for the second spot from Group A. As things stand, both teams sit on two points from two games.

Pakistan, with a superior NRR of +1.649), have a significant advantage over the UAE (-2.030) -- meaning, a no-result or tie would favour Pakistan.

(With PTI inputs)