PCB threaten to boycott UAE match

Asia cup 2025: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are not stepping down from their rage over the no-handshake row during the India vs Pakistan match on Sunday in Dubai and have now reportedly threatened to boycott their last group stage match in the Asia Cup if match referee Andy Pycroft is not removed from the tournament.

The India vs Pakistan cricketing contest was a one-sided affair, with India dominating the game throughout. But itâ€s the non-cricketing stuff that has hogged the limelight since the conclusion of the match.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav didnâ€t shake hands with the Pakistan captain, Salman Ali Agha, at the toss. Later, after hitting the winning six, Suryakumar and his batting partner, Shivam Dube, walked off the field without shaking hands with the Pakistani players.

While the Indian players and coaching staff greeted Yada and Dube near the boundary line, all of them returned to the dressing room and closed the door shut. Nobody from the Indian contingent came out for the customary handshakes with Pakistani cricketers and their staff.

As a form of protest against Indiaâ€s action, Pakistan skipper Salman Agha didnâ€t attend the presentation ceremony.

Later, in the post-match press conference, Suryakumar said that the no-handshake decision was known by the Indian government and the BCCI.

It has been alleged by the PCB that match referee Andy Pycroft had “requested the captains not to shake hands at the toss.â€

This has fumed the PCB, whose chairman Mohsin Naqvi has confirmed that the PCB has filed an official complaint to the ICC general manager Wasim Khan against Pycroft.

“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,†tweeted Naqvi, who is also the president of the Asian Cricket Council.

Asia Cup 2025: PCB threaten to boycott UAE match if Andy Pycroft is not removed – Reports

It has been reported by Cricbuzz that the PCB is irked more by the fact that Pycroft told Agha that there will be no handshake at the toss with Suryakumar. The board believes the match referee cannot side with one team.

According to Cricbuzz, the PCB has even threatened to boycott their remaining group stage match, which is against the UAE on September 17, if their demand of the removal of Andy Pycroft is not fulfilled. Pycroft is scheduled to be the referee in the Pakistan vs UAE match as well.

Pycroft is alleged to have not acted upon PCBâ€s protest after the Indian team didnâ€t come out to shake hands. That complaint was lodged by Pakistanâ€s team manager, Naveed Cheema.

“As a protest we did not send our captain to the post-match ceremony,†said the Pakistan team management.

Following the loss to India, Pakistan will need a victory against the UAE to secure their qualification to the Super Four round. If Pakistan lose to the UAE, or if they boycott their match, then they would need Oman to beat the UAE and India to beat Oman.

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