Handshake Row Deepens as PCB Escalates Protest
The fallout from the Asia Cup handshake controversy has intensified, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) formally seeking the removal of referee Andy Pycroft from upcoming international assignments.
In a strongly worded letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the PCB accused Pycroft of breaching both the ICC Code of Conduct and MCC’s Spirit of Cricket rules. According to the letter, Pycroft told Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha before the toss that “there would be no handshake,” while also instructing the media team not to record the matter.
The PCB described these actions as a “serious violation” that undermined the integrity of the game. Following this, the Ministry of Interior banned Pycroft from entering Pakistan, giving the PCB stronger grounds to press for his exclusion from the Pakistan-South Africa series scheduled in October.
Tournament director Andrew Russell reportedly acknowledged that the order initially came from the Indian cricket board, but was later linked to instructions from the Indian government.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the protest on social media, calling Pycroft’s actions “damaging to the game’s integrity.” The board also warned it would consider withdrawing from Asia Cup matches if the ICC did not act swiftly.
