The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has lodged an official protest with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), demanding the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft after he allegedly instructed Pakistan captain Salman Agha not to shake hands with Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav ahead of their Asia Cup clash.
Sources confirmed to Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net) that the PCB termed Pycroft’s conduct as “unprecedented and against the spirit of the game,” urging immediate action.
Later in the day, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Asian Cricket Council President, demanded an immediate removal of match referee Andy Pycroft from the Asia Cup roster.
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.
A Controversial Intervention
Before the toss, Pycroft reportedly pulled Salman Agha aside and advised him against extending a handshake to his Indian counterpart. He later delivered a similar message to Suryakumar Yadav, cautioning him to avoid the customary greeting. The fallout was visible: the two captains bypassed the traditional handshake, and after the high-voltage match, neither team observed the post-match courtesy.
How can a match referee tell a captain not to shake hands with the other captain?
Pakistan Threathen to Boycott the Next Match, suspends PCB’s director international cricket Usman Wahla
It is learnt that Pakistan has threatened, in the letter, that they will boycott the next match if Pycroft is not removed. Sources also told Telecom Asia Sport that PCB’s director international cricket Usman Wahla has been suspended for delaying the protest letter.
Behind Closed Doors: PCB Confronts Officials
Pakistan team manager Naveed Cheema confronted Pycroft directly in his room after the game, voicing dismay over what he called discriminatory behaviour. Cheema also escalated the complaint to tournament director Andre Russell. Both Pycroft and Russell, sources said, justified the stance by citing Indian government policy and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) directives. Cheema, however, reminded officials of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) rules that emphasise sportsmanship, including handshakes as part of fair play and decorum.
Political Undertones Emerge
Suryakumar Yadav later confirmed that the refusal to shake hands was in line with government and BCCI policy. He added that the gesture was intended as a symbolic response to the Pahalgam attacks, further fuelling the controversy. As a mark of protest, the Pakistan side withheld Salman Agha from attending the official post-match ceremony — an unprecedented snub that underscored their discontent.
Cricket Caught in the Crossfire
The episode has thrown the Asia Cup into turmoil, with diplomatic tensions spilling onto the cricket field. The PCB’s demand for Pycroft’s immediate removal is expected to test the ICC’s ability to balance cricketing protocol with the political sensitivities of its most combustible rivalry.
