ICC rejects Pakistan demand to remove match referee over handshake controversy

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ICC rejects Pakistan demand to remove match referee over handshake controversy: Pakistan has once again been embarrassed in the Asia Cup 2025. The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday rejected the demand of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that match referee Andy Pycroft be removed from the panel of officials of the ongoing Asia Cup tournament.

This decision has come amid the handshake controversy after the India-Pakistan match. The PCB had alleged that Pycroft had asked Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha not to shake hands with Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav during the toss.

Andy Pycroft will also be the referee in Pakistan's next match

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The ICC has informed its decision to the Pakistan Cricket Board after investigating the matter. News agency PTI quoted an ICC source as saying, 'Late last night, the ICC sent a reply to the PCB that Pycroft will not be removed and their appeal has been rejected.' 69-year-old Zimbabwean Pycroft will also play the role of referee in Pakistan's final group-stage match against UAE on Wednesday.

ACC officials were already aware

? BREAKING: ICC has officially ???????? PCB's demand to replace match referee Andy Pycroft at the ongoing #AsiaCup2025 pic.twitter.com/gO1uYQT4X1

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) September 16, 2025

According to informed sources, some officials of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), including the PCB director, knew in advance that the two captains would not shake hands after the match. Despite this, PCB and Naqvi created a ruckus.

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PCB had lodged a formal complaint

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The Pakistan Cricket Board had lodged a formal complaint with the Asian Cricket Council against the Indian players and match referee Andy Pycroft. Pakistan team manager Naveed Cheema had alleged that on Pycroft's behest, the team sheet was not exchanged between the two captains on Sunday, which is usually a standard procedure. Cheema had said that Pycroft had suggested to Pakistan captain Salman Aga not to shake hands with Suryakumar Yadav. The PCB had also alleged that the Indian players had violated the code of conduct by refusing to shake hands with the opposition team.

Threats in a letter to the ICC

After this, the PCB also wrote a letter to the ICC. In this letter, the PCB clearly stated that if Andy Pycroft was not removed from the remaining matches of the Asia Cup, they would withdraw their team from the tournament. Pakistan's next match is against the UAE tomorrow. However, the PCB's threats did not work in front of the ICC and according to reports, the ICC did not find Pycroft's role suspicious and it was found that the ACC was already aware of it. In such a situation, the ICC headed by Jai Shah rejected the PCB's demand.

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