Hours after lodging a protest against the Indian team with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has now turned the heat on the ICC match referee Andy Pycroft for the ‘no handshake’ drama during the Asia Cup 2025 match between India and Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday.
Mohsin Naqvi, who is the chairman of the PCB as well as the president of Asian Cricket Council (ACC), took to social media on Monday and demanded an immediate removal of match referee Pycroft from the Asia Cup roster following India’s refusal to shake hands with Pakistani players after the end of 6th match of the Asia Cup 2025 at Dubai International Stadium.
“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 wrote on X.
Earlier, the PCB chairman had also voiced his disappointment on social media after the end of the match.
“Utterly disappointed by the lack of sportsmanship today. Dragging politics into the game goes against the very spirit of sports. Let’s hope future victories are celebrated by all teams with grace,” Naqvi wrote.
The handshake controversy erupted after India’s dominating seven-wicket over Pakistan on Sunday.
After India comfortably chased down 128, Suryakumar (47) and Shivam Dube (10), who were out in the middle, headed off quickly, with neither the players nor the support staff doing handshakes with Pakistani players. The gesture left the Pakistan team in surprise and their captain Salman Agha skipped the TV interview to mark his protest.
“Team manager Naveed Cheema lodged a strong protest against Indian players’ behaviour of not shaking hands. It was deemed as unsporting and against the sport of the game. As a protest, we did not send our captain to the post-match ceremony,” read a PCB statement.
Before the start of the match, India skipper Suryakumar also skipped the handshake with Pakistan captain Salman during the toss. However, PCB said that it was communicated by the match referee to Salman before the toss.
“The match referee Andy Pycroft had asked captain Salman Ali Agha, at the time of the toss, not to shake hands with his Indian counterpart. The Pakistan team management has lodged a protest, calling the behaviour against the spirit of sports,” the PCB.
Suryakumar Yadav Dedicates India’s Asia Cup 2025 Win Over Pakistan To Armed Forces
Meanwhile, India captain Suryakumar Yadav said the team stands in solidarity with the kin of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and dedicated his team’s commanding seven-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Sunday to the Indian Armed Forces.
Sunday’s game in Dubai was the first meeting in international cricket between India and Pakistan after their recent heightened diplomatic tensions. The game came in the aftermath of a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, prompting India to launch Operation Sindoor targeting terror infrastructure across the border and in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Notably, once the Asia Cup 2025 schedule was released, debate was resurfaced over whether India should play a cricket match against Pakistan, given the strained political ties between the two countries.
However, the BCCI has reiterated that it must follow the central government’s directive, which allows India to face Pakistan in international or multilateral tournaments but prohibits bilateral series between the two nations.
According to the Union Sports Ministry’s notification, India and Pakistan may compete in “international and multilateral events”, but cannot hold “bilateral sports events in each other’s country.”
“Perfect occasion, taking the time out, we stand by the families of the victims of Pahalgam terror attack. We express our solidarity. Want to dedicate the win to all our armed forces who showed a lot of bravery. Hope they continue to inspire us all and we give them more reasons on the ground whenever we get an opportunity to make them smile,” said Suryakumar at the post-match presentation ceremony.
India, who are on top of Group A with two wins, will next face Oman on Friday, September 19 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.