Pakistan says match referee apologizes for handshake incident at Asia Cup

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates won the toss and elected to field against Pakistan after the start of their Asia Cup game Wednesday was delayed by one hour because of a lingering handshake dispute between India and Pakistan.

The Pakistan Cricket Board had demanded that cricket governing body ICC remove match referee Andy Pycroft from the remainder of the tournament.

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The Zimbabwean was match referee at Sunday’s game where India’s players refused to shake hands with Pakistan’s players, both at the toss and at the end of the game. India won by seven wickets.

The PCB said in a statement on Wednesday that Pycroft “apologized to the manager and captain of the Pakistan cricket team” for his role Sunday, when he allegedly told Pakistan's captain that there would be no handshakes at the toss.

“Andy Pycroft termed the September 14 incident a result of miscommunication and apologized,” the PCB said.

The PCB also released a muted video of Pycroft meeting with Pakistan team officials at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

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Pycroft remained ICC’s appointed match referee and supervised Wednesday’s toss after which both Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha and UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem, who was born in Pakistan, shook hands and smiled at each other.

Pakistan had delayed its departure to the stadium Wednesday as back home PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi consulted with former cricket board heads Najam Sethi and Ramiz Raja in Lahore before giving the go ahead to the team to leave for the stadium.

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