Asia Cup 2025: Pakistan Again Pushes ICC to Drop Andy Pycroft Following UAE Match

Andy Pycroft, the ICC match referee, was in charge of the Asia Cup 2025 game between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This happened even though the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had raised concerns about him. The ICC, however, turned down PCB’s request to replace Pycroft and kept him on duty for the tournament. The PCB had accused Pycroft of misconduct during the Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan in Dubai on September 14.

PCB vs ICC: Pycroft Row and Pakistan’s Boycott Threat

India captain Suryakumar Yadav declined to shake hands with Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha at the toss. The Indian team also refused to shake hands with the Pakistan players after the win. Pakistan went ahead and played their Asia Cup match against the United Arab Emirates, even though they had earlier warned they might pull out if the ICC didn’t agree to change match referee Andy Pycroft after the no-handshake issue with India.

On Wednesday, the PCB pushed the match start back by an hour while still asking for Pycroft to be removed. But the ICC said no and kept him as the referee. Notably, the PCB attempted damage control by releasing a statement that Pycroft had apologized for his conduct during the controversy. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi held lengthy talks with former chiefs Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi about whether to proceed with the boycott. Had they gone ahead, Pakistan would have been eliminated from the tournament.

India-Pakistan Tensions Continue in Super Four

RevSportz journalist Rohit Juglan reported that Pakistan is still pushing to have Andy Pycroft removed from their matches. He said PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi wants to make sure there’s no political angle during the tournament, and the board is getting ready to take the matter further against Pycroft.

"Some more drama awaits 1 - Pakistan still wants to remove Andy Pycroft from their games 2 - Mohsin Naqvi wants no political messaging further in this tournament 3 - They are preparing more evidence for another level of enquiry to start the case vs Andy Pycroft," Rohit wrote on X.

Suryakumar Yadav dedicated India’s seven-wicket win to the Armed Forces and showed support for the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. After the match, the Indian players did not take part in the usual handshakes.

They also shut their dressing room door when Pakistan’s team came to meet them. India is likely to continue with the same approach when the two teams face each other again in the Super 4s. Meanwhile, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi came under criticism, with critics saying he appeared to forget his responsibility as head of the Asian Cricket Council, which is overseeing the tournament. Many feel Pakistan should shift focus to improving on-field performances rather than concentrating on the handshake incident.

India and Pakistan have reached the Super Four from Group A. In Group B, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan are still fighting for a spot.

ALSO SEE:  Asia Cup 2025: PCB Plans Complaint Over Suryakumar Yadav’s Post Match Presentation Remarks