Lahore/Islamabad/Dubai: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is expected to make a final decision today to decide that the either the Green Shirts’ will take place in the current Asia Cup 2025, after the handshake row with match -reference Andy Pycrot after the India Clash.
The announcement is expected prior to the last group stage of the national side against the United Arab Emirates (VAE) in the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The controversy arose after the captains of Pakistan and India had skipped hands on the toss during their Asia Cup 2025 collision of 14 September, reportedly directed by Andy Pycroft.
PCB is determined
In the meantime, the sources have said that the PCB has written another letter to the ICC above the refusal of the latter to accept his requirement to the removal of Pycroft from the Asia Cup 2025
The PCB has rejected a solid position on the issue, has rejected the ICC decision not to take action against the competition referee.
The board, according to the sources, has refused to play matches that have been accompanied by Pycroft and is on his decision to boycott the matches if its requirements are not met.
In addition, the PCB has mentioned the ICC’s investigation against the match referee as purely formality, and emphasizes that neither all aspects were investigated on investigation nor relevant people were contacted.
In his letter, the PCB said that Pakistan will agree to play after all his reservations have been tackled, a formal announcement of the acceptance of the question is made.
The sources emphasized the increasing misery of ICC and said that the cricket authority is no other choice than to remove the referee from Pakistani matches after the difficult attitude of Pakistan.
Sources say that the PCB has not received a response from the ICC so far.
“If the referee change is not confirmed, the Pakistani team will not leave for the stadium,” said the sources, adding that the national side will only reach the stadium if the board receives an e -mail that confirms the referee change.
With the ball now in the ICC -Hof, the men in Green are dedicated to complete their preparations for the match, since the team leaves for the stadium when the referee change is confirmed shortly before the match.
Separately, the sources have also said that the national side is optimistic about the fact that it is displayed in today’s fixture.
They added that former West India -captain Richie Richardson will probably be appointed as the match referee for the Pakistan match against the VAE today.
Hand pressure controversy
The Indian skipper not only avoided handshake at the Worp, but repeated the same after the game was over, when the players of the opposite teams have to shake hands according to the cricket tradition.
While the Indian players congratulated each other with the Dugout after the game, they kept away from acknowledging or shaking hands with the Pakistani team.
Pakistan’s players stood in line and expected the usual handshake, only to withdraw the Indian team and close the changing room doors.
Later the victory captain of India, Suryakumar, defended his team’s decision not to shake the Pakistani players and said it was taken into account with their government and cricket board.
The movement led to a strong reaction from the cricket brotherhood, as well as Mohsin Naqvi, which leads both the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and is also the serving head of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
Not only did Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha, in protest, refused to attend the post-match presentation ceremony, breaking from broadcast norms where captains usually share their thoughts, the PCB has filed a formal complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Calling for the Removal of Match referee Pycroftt from the Ongoing Asia Cup 2025 – for Reportedly Instructing the omission of the usual handshake.
In the meantime, in the light of the PCB’s strong posture on the issue, sources Geo News told that Pycroft is expected to be removed from the remaining Asia Cup collisions of Pakistan.
The Indian media have indeed reported that the ICC has rejected the PCB request to remove Match referee Pycroft from the current tournament.
