Asia Cup 2025: ICC and PCB strike compromise, Andy Pycroft dropped from Pakistan fixtures
The handshake row continues to make waves, emerging as the highlight of the ongoing Asia Cup edition. Team India complied with its board's directive to play against Pakistan in the inter-continental tournament. However, the Men in Blue, led by Suryakumar Yadav, found a way to showcase their aversion to the arch-rivals, triggered by the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year. While the India vs Pakistan match at the Asia Cup 2025 unfolded unhindered, the winners did not oblige the Men in Green with customary handshakes. The move has left all of Pakistan seething as the PCB continues to run from pillar to post, demanding a way to soothe its hurt ego one way or another.
ICC is set to replace Andy Pycroft with Richie Richardson for Pakistan fixtures at Asia Cup 2025
The result of the India vs Pakistan match at the Asia Cup 2025, a seven-wicket victory for the Men in Blue, is not the highlight of the game, as it was a rather anticipated outcome. However, the one-sided encounter continues to define the course of the Asia Cup, with Pakistan unwilling to let go of the handshake row. India’s skipper, Suryakumar Yadav, did not shake hands with Pakistan’s captain, Salman Ali Agha, at the toss.
The resolution of the Men in Blue to avoid any kind of interaction lasted until the conclusion of the India vs Pakistan fixture. SKY hit the winning six and immediately departed to the dressing room along with his troop. The Pakistan team waited until the doors of the Indian dressing room were shut in their faces. In response to the snub, Salman Ali Agha refused to step out for the post-match presentation.
The Pakistan Cricket Board's first instinct was to lodge an official complaint against India over the handshake row. However, the narrative quickly shifted as the PCB demanded that the ICC remove Andy Pycroft from Asia Cup 2025. Pycroft, who served as the match referee in the India vs Pakistan clash, was accused of intervening in the matter, allegedly instructing Salman Agha at the toss not to engage in the customary handshake with SKY. In its complaint, the PCB threatened the ICC that Pakistan would pull out of the game against the UAE if Pycroft was not removed from the panel.
However, the ICC denied the PCB's demand despite Pakistan's warning of pulling out of the Asia Cup 2025. The PCB then stood on the verge of eating its own words. While threatening is one thing, Pakistan simply does not stand in a position to forfeit the tournament. Withdrawing from the Asia Cup altogether could have dealt a crippling financial blow, with estimated losses of around USD 16 million. For a board with limited resources, such a figure loomed large, especially in comparison to financially powerful bodies like the BCCI.
However, Pakistan seemed bent on keeping up the tirade as the team canceled the press conference ahead of the group-stage clash against the UAE. The Pakistan vs UAE match is scheduled for Wednesday, 17 September. Now, as uncertainty looms over the fixture, a new update suggests that the ICC and PCB have reached a middle ground over the issue. While Pycroft is nowhere close to being removed from the Asia Cup 2025 altogether, a PCB insider has informed leading dailies that the match referee would at least be dropped from Pakistan games.
The report reveals that the ICC has proposed Richie Richardson to replace Andy Pycroft for Pakistan's remaining fixtures at the Asia Cup 2025. Despite the cancellation of the scheduled press conference before the game, the Pakistan team reportedly hit the nets. The practice session suggested that the group was looking ahead to the crucial game against the UAE, dismissing earlier warnings of pulling out of the fixture.
