'No Handshake' Controversy: Andy Pycroft Was Told Four Minutes Before IND Vs PAK Toss - Report

The India-Pakistan 'no handshake' controversy at the Asia Cup 2025 is far from over. Late Thursday night, fresh reports emerged that match referee Andy Pycroft was informed just four minutes before the toss that the captains Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha would not be shaking hands.

The directive reportedly came from the venue manager appointed by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) citing communication from the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) with approval from the Indian government, reported ESPNCricinfo.

The continental tournament was moved from India to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after the two cricket boards reached an agreement. The BCCI kept its status as the official host, but the tournament was shifted to a neutral venue to avoid direct travel between India and Pakistan, as part of a broader arrangement with the ACC that runs through 2028.

The Pycroft Saga In India Vs Pakistan Rivalry

Pycroft, 69, believing he was merely relaying a message rather than issuing an instruction, informed Pakistan captain Salman Agha of the situation moments before the toss, the report said.

The PCB later filed a formal complaint to the International Cricket Council, accusing Pycroft of violating the spirit of cricket and demanding his removal from the tournament.

The ICC responded by stating that Pycroft had acted within his remit and was not at fault, emphasising that the Zimbabwean was trying to avoid a potentially awkward public moment.

Subsequently, tensions escalated ahead of Pakistan's next match against the UAE, with the PCB threatening to withdraw from the tournament unless Pycroft was reassigned.

A delayed start followed a meeting between Pycroft and the Pakistan team management, during which he apparently expressed regret over the miscommunication. The PCB described it as an apology, although reports claimed that it was more an acknowledgement of a misunderstanding than a formal apology.

The ICC maintained its stance, stating that Pycroft had followed protocol under time constraints and that any inquiry into his conduct was unlikely. The PCB, however, expressed disappointment with the ICC's handling of the complaint and questioned the neutrality of the process.

ICC Not Happy With PCB's Theatrics

In another development, the ICC is mulling action against Pakistan for "violation of multiple tournament rules".

The ICC has shot off an e-mail to the PCB citing "misconduct" and "multiple violations" of the Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA) protocol before the UAE game.

"The ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta has written to the PCB stating that the board has been guilty of repeated PMOA violations on match day. PCB is in receipt of the e-mail," PTI reported, quoting a tournament source.

Furthermore, the ICC has taken strong exception to the muted video circulated by the PCB, and that Pakistan breached the rules by allowing media manager Naeem Gillani to film a meeting between Pycroft, its head coach Mike Hesson and captain Salman Ali Agha before the Pakistan vs UAE toss.

The ICC agreed with PCB that in order to help resolve the matter related to the India game, Pycroft would meet the team captain and manager before the toss.

"The purpose was to eradicate any regrettable misunderstanding or miscommunication which may have arisen at the time of the toss (of the India match)," the tournament source said. "PCB brought to the meeting their media manager and insisted that he be present during the conversation."

Naeem was refused entry by the ICC Anti-Corruption Manager because "he wanted to take his mobile phone into the PMOA".

"The ICC, in order to preserve the interest of the sport, the tournament and the stakeholders involved, accepted PCB's asks although this demonstrated a complete disregard for the sanctity of the PMOA, where the meeting took place," the source said.

The ICC was also not made aware of how PCB planned to use the filmed footage. The short clip has been circulating on social media with various speculations on what might have been discussed during the meeting.

The ICC officials are also not happy with a PCB media release that claimed Pycroft had "apologised", when in fact he had merely expressed regret over a miscommunication.