The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly set to dismiss the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) demand for a change in the appointed match referee, indicating that the governing body will stick with its original decision despite Pakistan’s concerns.
Why PCB demand to remove match referee
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) demanded the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft from the Asia Cup 2025 citing that Pycroft had instructed Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha not to shake hands with the Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav at the toss during the India-Pakistan match. PCB alleged this violated the ICC Code of Conduct and the spirit of cricket. They lodged formal complaints and threatened to withdraw their team from the tournament if Pycroft was not removed.
PCB Rejected Demand
The ICC is all set to reject the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) demand to remove match referee Andy Pycroft from the Asia Cup 2025. However, the ICC believes that Pycroft played a minimal role in the incident and acted on instructions likely from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to avoid public embarrassment. The ICC cited concerns that changing a match official at the demand of one member would set a wrong precedent and has therefore decided to retain Pycroft as match referee for the tournament, including Pakistan’s remaining matches. The PCB had even threatened to boycott if Pycroft was not removed, but the ICC remains firm on its decision to reject the PCB’s request.
Also Read: No handshake controversy: BCCI finally opens up on PCB complaint to ACC
This ruling reaffirms the ICC’s commitment to maintaining the integrity and independence of officiating in international cricket.
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