More twists and turns in handshake row! Match referee Andy Pycroft unlikely for Pakistan vs UAE

Amidst controversy, ICC match referee Andy Pycroft may be replaced for the Pakistan-UAE match following PCB's complaint regarding his conduct during the India game, which led to a "no-handshake" issue. The PCB demanded Pycroft's removal from the Asia Cup, threatening to pull out of the tournament.

Pakistan players greet each other after their loss in the Asia Cup cricket match against India (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

TimesofIndia.com in Dubai: In a fresh development, it is understood that ICC match referee Andy Pycroft could well be "rested" for the match between Pakistan and UAE scheduled for Wednesday at the Dubai International Stadium. TimesofIndia.com has learnt that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was adamant on having Pycroft removed for the entire tournament and while that seems unlikely, there is a bright possibility of the seasoned official missing from action today.

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Handshake drama becomes ugly! India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 in DANGER?

The PCB had threatened to pull out after blaming Pycroft for the "no handshake" furore that followed the game against India. Pakistan also cancelled their pre-match press conference scheduled for Wednesday. "Pakistan will play the tournament, but Andy Pycroft will not be officiating the match against the UAE," a PCB source told TimesofIndia.com. It is still not clear whether Pycroft would continue to officiate in Pakistan's remaining matches, as ACC is yet to revert to TimesofIndia.com query. The story will be updated the moment the cricket body responds. “The PCB has 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. The PCB has demanded an immediate removal of the Match Referee from the Asia Cup,” Naqvi, who is also the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), had said in a post, which he later deleted. Pycroft has officiated in more than 100 Tests and has been part of several flashpoints, notably the ball-tampering episode under Steve Smith’s leadership, Virat Kohli’s shoulder clash with Sam Konstas, and Jos Buttler’s heated outburst at Vernon Philander. He represented Zimbabwe in only three Tests and 20 ODIs. His Test debut came in Harare against India, where he made 39 and 46 in the two innings, a match that also marked Zimbabwe’s maiden Test, though Pycroft was already past his peak. Nearly a decade earlier, he had debuted in ODIs during the 1983 World Cup, featuring in the famous game where Kapil Dev struck his iconic 175. India and Pakistan on Tuesday trained at the ICC Academy. While the time slots were different, the two teams were together at the same venue for around an hour. India have already qualified for the Super Four. Pakistan meanwhile, will play hosts UAE on Wednesday in a must-win game. If they manage to beat UAE, Pakistan will face India again on Sunday.

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