Drama as Pakistan stall UAE game, PCB writes to ICC again

Dubai: Pakistan withdrew its pullout threat and showed up for a crucial Asia Cup game against the UAE here on Wednesday but not before causing a delay and claiming that it received an “apology” from match referee Andy Pycroft, who was retained by the ICC despite the country’s repeated demand for his removal.

Pycroft tendered an “apology for miscommunication” during Pakistan’s game against India last Sunday in which Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with rival skipper Salman Ali Agha as a gesture of solidarity with the victims of Pahalgam terrorist attack.

Pakistan lodged two separate complaints with the ICC for the removal of Pycroft but the world body summarily rejected both. The logjam ended after Pycroft “apologised” to the manager and captain of the Pakistani cricket team for “prohibiting” the handshake at toss on Sunday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board also asserted that the ICC would be investigating its complaint against the 69-year-old Pycroft, who is a former Zimbabwe cricketer and officiated in over 200 games since being included in the ICC Elite Panel.

“The ICC has expressed its readiness to investigate the violation of the Code of Conduct during the match on September 14,” the PCB stated.

In response, a source in the ICC said the apology was only for the “miscommunication.”

“...and the ICC will only conduct its investigation when the PCB furnishes further evidence as to who was at fault for this entire mess,” the source said.

Earlier on Wednesday, there was intense drama in the run-up to the game as the Pakistan team refused to leave its hotel after learning that Pycroft will be persisted with.

Teams are required to report at the stadium two hours before the start of the game which Pakistan failed to do in protest.

That Pycroft would remain match referee was communicated to PCB chairman and Asian Cricket Council head Mohsin Naqvi by ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta in a conference call. The ICC maintained that the Zimbabwean will remain in charge as he has followed the rules and regulations to the ‘T’.

Pakistan had held Pycroft responsible for the embarrassment it faced after Salman and Suryakumar did not exchange a handshake and their team sheets during the toss on Sunday.

The PCB alleged that Pycroft had prohibited Salman from shaking hands with Suryakumar and told the two captains to not exchange

team sheets.