The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has turned up the heat in the Asia Cup controversy. A day after filing a protest against the Indian team with the International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee, the PCB demands removal of match referee Pycroft himself from the ongoing tournament.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said in a post on Monday (September 15) that the board had 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 confirmed that the PCB has asked for Pycroft’s immediate removal from the Asia Cup.
Complaint Against Match Referee Andy Pycroft
The board’s grievance is that Pycroft allegedly became a party to one side. According to the PCB, the referee overstepped his authority by instructing the captains not to shake hands after the India-Pakistan clash in Dubai.
Sources say the PCB has warned it may boycott its next match against the UAE on September 17 if its demand is ignored. Reports suggest the PCB mentioned this point in its letter, though the claim has not been independently verified. Naqvi, notably, is also president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
Pycroft, 69, has been under scrutiny since the India vs Pakistan match on September 14. The Indian players did not shake hands with their rivals after winning by seven wickets. PCB demands removal of match referee Pycroft, calling the behaviour “unsporting and against the spirit of the game.” As part of their protest, Pakistan did not send their captain to the post-match ceremony.
“Team manager Naveed Cheema lodged a strong protest against Indian players’ behaviour of not shaking hands. It was deemed as unsporting and against the spirit of the game. As a protest we did not send our captain to the post-match ceremony,” the team management said in a statement.
Pycroft is one of the longest-serving referees on the ICC Elite Panel, where he has been since 2009. For this Asia Cup, the ICC had also nominated Richie Richardson of the West Indies. The panel currently includes Javagal Srinath (India), Jeff Crowe (New Zealand), and Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka).
The ICC has not yet commented on the PCB’s complaint.
Check Our Today Match Prediction for SL vs HK and UAE Vs Oman Played Today, and srilanka has to win to create the spot in semi final asia cup 2025.