Pakistan’s cricket team were late to leave their hotel on Wednesday ahead of their must-win Asia Cup group match against the UAE, after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected their demand to remove match referee Andy Pycroft for a second time. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) held Pycroft responsible for the controversy following Sunday’s match against India, when Indian players refused to shake hands in solidarity with victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Tournament sources told PTI that Pycroft will remain the match referee for Wednesday’s game, and if Pakistan fail to appear, the UAE will be awarded full points. A PCB source confirmed that the players were instructed to stay in their rooms and await further instructions.
Meanwhile, the UAE team arrived at the stadium and will progress to the Super Four stage if the match is forfeited.
The PCB alleged that the 69-year-old Pycroft, a former Zimbabwe cricketer, instructed Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha not to shake hands with Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav. They also claimed that Pycroft prevented the usual exchange of team sheets between the captains.
In its initial complaint to the ICC, the PCB accused Pycroft of misconduct, saying it breached Article 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Match Officials, which prohibits behaviour contrary to the spirit of the game and the MCC Laws. The board highlighted the political sensitivity of the incident and its damaging impact on the reputation of cricket.
The ICC rejected these claims and maintained Pycroft’s appointment after receiving a second letter from the PCB.
Sources within the ICC and the Asian Cricket Council said Pycroft was not responsible for the incident and in fact warned Pakistan about India’s plans, potentially averting further conflict.
