September 19th 2025.
In the midst of the ongoing Asia Cup, there has been a lot of buzz surrounding the match between India and Pakistan on September 14. The controversy was sparked due to a 'handshake row' between the two sides, which was brought to light by ESPNCricinfo. The match referee for the game, Andy Pycroft, was caught in the middle of it all. According to ESPNCricinfo, he was informed just minutes before the toss that the two teams were not to shake hands. Pycroft saw himself as a messenger rather than a rule enforcer. This decision did not sit well with the Pakistan Cricket Board, who accused him of violating the ICC's Code of Conduct and the spirit of cricket. They even went as far as demanding his removal from officiating for the rest of the tournament.
More details have emerged about the events leading up to the match between Pakistan and India. According to an official with direct knowledge of the situation, the controversy began just four minutes before the toss. As Pycroft walked out to the field, he was informed by the Asian Cricket Council venue manager that the Board of Control for Cricket in India had spoken to them, with approval from their central government, about the no-handshake rule. This meant that Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and his Pakistani counterpart, Salman Agha, would not be shaking hands before the game. The PCB argued that Pycroft should have informed the ICC about this unusual request, but he claimed he did not have enough time. However, he did inform Agha of the situation just before the toss, in an effort to avoid any potential awkwardness.
The incident did not go unnoticed by the ICC, but they did not see it as a violation of any code of conduct. They viewed it as a decision made within Pycroft's authority as a match official. However, the PCB was not satisfied and threatened to pull out of the tournament if Pycroft was not reassigned for their next game against the UAE. After a hasty meeting between Pycroft and the Pakistan cricket leadership group, the match went ahead after a one-hour delay.
The PCB claimed that Pycroft had apologized to the manager and captain of the Pakistan cricket team, but sources familiar with the situation say it was more of an expression of regret over the misunderstanding and miscommunication that occurred. The PCB had also sent an official complaint to the ICC, accusing Pycroft of misconduct and demanding his removal from the roster of Asia Cup officials. They claimed that he failed to maintain respect and create a positive atmosphere among the players. However, the ICC's investigation found no fault on Pycroft's part.
During their review of the incident, the ICC spoke to Pycroft, other match and tournament officials, and the tournament director. They explained that Pycroft was simply following clear instructions from the ACC venue manager and had dealt with the situation professionally. The ICC clarified that it was not Pycroft's role to regulate any specific protocol between teams and that the real issue was the handshake not taking place. This, they stated, was a matter for the tournament organizers and those who made the decision.
In the midst of the ongoing Asia Cup, there has been quite a bit of controversy surrounding the match between India and Pakistan. The match referee, Andy Pycroft, found himself in the middle of a 'handshake row' between the two teams. As per ESPNCricinfo, Pycroft had only been informed minutes before the toss on September 14 that both teams were not to shake hands. This decision was made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) with approval from their central government.
Pycroft, who saw himself as a messenger rather than an instructor, was caught in the middle of the situation. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) filed a complaint against him, accusing him of violating the ICC's Code of Conduct and the spirit of cricket. This was after Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube walked off the field without shaking hands with Pakistani players. The PCB also demanded that Pycroft be removed from officiating for the remainder of the tournament.
New details have emerged about the events leading up to the controversy. According to an official with direct knowledge of the situation, the whole ordeal started just four minutes before the toss in the match between Pakistan and India. Pycroft was informed by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) venue manager that the BCCI had requested there be no handshake between the two captains, Suryakumar and Salman Agha.
The PCB argued that Pycroft should have informed the ICC of this unusual request, but Pycroft claimed he did not have enough time to do so. However, he did inform Agha of the situation before the toss, hoping to avoid an embarrassing moment if Agha went to shake hands with the Indian captain and was snubbed.
The ICC did not see Pycroft's actions as a violation of any code of conduct, but rather as a decision he was authorized to make as a match official. However, the PCB was not satisfied and threatened to pull out of the tournament if Pycroft was not reassigned for their next match against the UAE. The match eventually went ahead after a delay of one hour, following a hasty meeting between Pycroft and the Pakistan cricket leadership.
Although the PCB claimed that Pycroft had apologized to the manager and captain of the Pakistan team, sources close to the situation state that it was more of an expression of regret for the misunderstanding and miscommunication surrounding the incident.
The PCB had filed an official complaint with ICC's General Manager of Cricket Wasim Khan, detailing the events before the toss and accusing Pycroft of misconduct. They were alarmed that a supposedly neutral match referee appointed by the ICC would engage in conduct that violated the spirit of cricket and MCC laws.
The PCB also stated that Pycroft failed in his responsibility to ensure that respect was maintained between the captains and teams, and demanded that he be removed from the roster of Asia Cup officials immediately.
ICC responded to the complaint, stating that they had carefully investigated the matter and found that Pycroft was not at fault. They had spoken to Pycroft, the other match and tournament officials, and the tournament director, Andrew Russell. ICC clarified that Pycroft's decision to communicate with the Pakistani captain not to shake hands with Suryakumar was in line with clear direction from the ACC venue manager, with the message being received on short notice.
ICC also stated that the match referee's role was not to regulate any team- or tournament-specific protocols and that the real issue was the handshake not taking place. This was a matter to be resolved by the tournament organizers and those who made the decision.
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