The fallout from the Pakistan-India Asia Cup match has reached a critical stage, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) intensifying its protest over India’s conduct and threatening a boycott of the Asia Cup.
At the center of the controversy is match referee Andy Pycroft, whose directive reportedly prevented both captains from exchanging handshakes at the toss, a long-standing cricketing tradition. The PCB has filed a formal complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), demanding Pycroft’s immediate removal from the tournament.
In a strongly worded statement, the PCB argued that the incident violated both the spirit of cricket and MCC’s laws. “No handshakes were exchanged before or after the match, which is a direct violation of the game’s traditions,” the board stated.
The PCB has also raised serious concerns about external interference, claiming that tournament officials admitted the directive originated from the Indian board and, ultimately, the Indian government. Tournament Director Andrew Russell initially said the orders came from the BCCI, later clarifying they had been issued by Indian authorities.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), escalated the matter further via social media, stating that the match referee’s conduct breached the ICC Code of Conduct. “We have demanded the immediate removal of Andy Pycroft from the Asia Cup,” Naqvi declared, accusing him of acting “against the spirit of cricket.”
Sources indicate that Pakistan will not play its next scheduled match against UAE if Pycroft remains the match referee, effectively initiating a Pakistan boycott of the Asia Cup.
Tensions between the two teams continued after the match. Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav and teammate Shivam Dube celebrated briefly before heading straight into the dressing room, followed by the rest of the squad. Pakistani players, who had lined up for the customary handshake, were left waiting as the Indian team shut the dressing room doors.
The escalating row has now sparked fears of Pakistan withdrawing from the Asia Cup entirely, a move that would not only deepen cricket’s fiercest rivalry but also cast uncertainty over the tournament’s future.
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