Asia Cup 2025: ICC rejects Pakistan's demand to remove Pycroft as match referee over handshake row

PCB alleged that Pycroft had asked Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha, at the time of the toss, not to shake hands with Indian counterpart Suryakumar Yadav.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected Pakistan Cricket Board's demand to remove Zimbabwean Andy Pycroft from the panel of match referees in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai.

It may be recalled that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had filed a complaint with the ICC alleging that Pycroft had asked Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha, at the time of the toss, not to shake hands with his Indian counterpart Suryakumar Yadav in their Asia Cup match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

"Late last night, ICC had sent a reply to PCB stating that Pycroft won't be removed and their plea has been rejected," an ICC source told PTI news agency.

The 69-year-old is due to officiate Pakistan's final group stage game against the UAE on Wednesday.

Pakistan team manager Naved Cheema had also filed a complaint with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) alleging that it was on Pycroft's insistence that team sheets weren't exchanged between the two skippers on Sunday as is the norm.

PCB has claimed that it was referee Pycroft who asked the captains to skip the pre-match handshake ritual. India skipper Suryakumar Yadav and his Pakistan counterpart Salman Ali Agha also refused to make eye contact.

India's 'No Handshake' policy could be repeated as both teams are likely to meet two more times in the remainder of the tournament.

Suryakumar had earlier justified the decision to not shake hands with the opposition, saying it was their way of showing solidarity with the families of the Pahalgam terrorist attack victims.

It is worth mentioning that a handshake between captains of both teams during toss before matches in international cricket is a convention and not specified as a rule.

(with inputs from agencies)