The International Cricket Council (ICC) has refused to bow to pressure from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and confirmed that Elite Panel Match Referee Andy Pycroft will once again officiate the high-voltage India-Pakistan encounter in the Asia Cup Super 4s on Sunday.
“Andy Pycroft is the match referee for the Indo-Pak game,” a tournament source told PTI.
Not Official
Although the full list of officials for the match has not yet been formally released, the other referee available in the tournament is former West Indies captain Richie Richardson. Pycroft was also in charge during the group-stage clash between India and Pakistan last Sunday, the game that was overshadowed by controversy after the Indian team, as a policy decision, allegedly refused to shake hands with their opponents. The Zimbabwean official was drawn into the storm, especially after India captain Suryakumar Yadav was also accused of not following convention at the toss.
ALSO READ – “The Decisions Are Taken…”: What Did Yashasvi Jaiswal Say On Asia Cup 2025 Snub?
The Drama Unfolds
The PCB had sent two separate mails to the ICC, initially asking for Pycroft’s complete removal from the tournament before later demanding he be kept away from Pakistan’s matches specifically. Both requests were categorically rejected by the ICC, which backed its Elite Panel referee.
The PCB had accused Pycroft of breaching the ‘Spirit of the Game’ code. However, ICC officials dismissed the charges, clarifying that Pycroft acted only as a messenger. He passed on information relayed by the designated Venue Manager of the Asian Cricket Council with only minutes left before the start of play. To calm tempers, the ICC facilitated a meeting between Pycroft and Pakistan’s management, which included captain Salman, head coach Mike Hesson and team manager Naveed Akram Cheema. In the discussion, Pycroft said he “regretted the miscommunication.”
Later, in a clarification email, the ICC highlighted that Pycroft had not issued an apology but only used the words “regretted the miscommunication.” It also accused the PCB of breaching guidelines connected to the ‘Players and Match Officials Area’ (PMOA), an allegation the PCB strongly denied. By choosing to re-appoint Pycroft for another India-Pakistan contest, the ICC has signaled its determination not to yield to Pakistan’s demands. Officials believe that replacing the former Zimbabwe Test player would set a poor precedent, and so the governing body has opted to stand firmly behind its referee.
Squads
India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.
Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim