The ICC has turned down Pakistan’s request to remove match referee Andy Pycroft following the ‘no handshake’ controversy during the India-Pakistan clash on Sunday (September 14).
ICC : The ruling was reportedly communicated to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday night. The issue surfaced after Indian players chose not to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts and instead walked off the field post-victory, leaving the Pakistan team waiting.
According to reports, the PCB was particularly displeased with Pycroft for allegedly instructing Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha not to shake hands with Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav at the toss. However, Cricbuzz revealed that the ICC clarified the situation, stating Pycroft acted based on information from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) officials, who had directed that no handshake would take place at the toss. The ICC further emphasized that Pycroft was not representing India in any way.
The PCB escalated the matter by filing an official complaint against India for refusing to shake hands after the game. In addition, the board dismissed its own Director of International Cricket Operations, Usman Wahla, for failing to respond promptly to the incident.
Reports also suggest Pakistan threatened to withdraw from their upcoming fixture against the UAE if their demand for Pycroft’s replacement was ignored. With the ICC now rejecting their request, it remains uncertain whether Salman Ali Agha and his team will follow through on that warning.