Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has demanded 'immediate removal' of match referee Andy Pycroft, on-field official for Sunday's September 14 India vs Pakistan match 6 of the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 event. The demand for PCB chair, who is also the current president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), came a day after the PCB accused the former cricketer of requesting captains Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha not to shake hands during the coin toss, as it is always the norm.
On Monday, September 15, PCB decided to take swift action on the matter and issued an official statement and also lodged a complaint.
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"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," Naqvi said in a tweet. "The PCB has demanded an immediate removal of the Match Referee from the Asia Cup."
According to an ESPNCricinfo report, a query has been sent to ICC, which is the ruling authority, to check if Pycroft had indeed instructed the captains not to shake hands at the toss in Dubai. After the match ended, with India emerging on top by seven wickets, skipper Surya, who also hit the winning runs, the players and the support staff did not shake hands with Salman Ali Agha & Co., with the Indian skipper saying afterward the Indian "government and the BCCI aligned" on the matter.
Pakistan skipper later snubbed the post-match presentation, and head coach Mike Hesson called India's decision "disappointing" when he spoke to the press.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2025: Pakistan cry foul, lodges protest against India in Dubai
Withdrawing match officials would require the ICC to get involved
Notably, while it is the ACC tournament, where ICC has no organizational role, the match officials are allocated by ICC. While a PCB has lodged an official complaint, withdrawing a match referee, appointing, or replacing a match official would require the ICC to get involved. BCCI, which is still the official host of the Continental Cup, will also require a significant role in the matter.
For the unversed, this is the second official statement issued by Naqvi since the high tensions between India and Pakistan spilled over following the game on Sunday. Shortly after Pakistan's defeat, the PCB Chair accused India of "dragging politics into the game" and lacking "sportsmanship." Surya gave a fitting reply in the post-match presentation, stating "a few things in life were ahead of a sportsman's spirit."
Notably, this was the first instance of an India vs Pakistan clash after the Pahalgam terror attack in April earlier this year. While an uncertainty loomed over this clash, the match was decided to be played in Dubai, a neutral venue as per the mutual agreement between the BCCI & PCB Boards.
