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ISLAMABAD: International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee Andy Pycroft has formally apologized to the Pakistan cricket team&rsquo;s captain and manager following a post-match handshake controversy involving India, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed on Wednesday.&nbsp;The apology comes after tensions escalated during the Asia Cup 2025, particularly after Pakistan&rsquo;s politically charged Group A match against archrival India. In the aftermath of India&#39;s victory, Indian players reportedly refused to shake hands with the Pakistani side, fueling criticism from the PCB over what it described as a &quot;lack of sportsmanship.&quot;&nbsp;Pakistan had earlier lodged a complaint with the ICC, calling for the removal of Pycroft as match referee, citing concerns over his handling of the situation. The issue was compounded by already heightened tensions between the two nations following recent military clashes in May.&nbsp;&ldquo;The ICC match referee Andy Pycroft has apologized to our team captain and manager regarding the handshake incident,&rdquo; said Naqvi, who also serves as the country&#39;s interior minister and currently heads the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).&nbsp;The controversy had also delayed Pakistan&#39;s next match against the United Arab Emirates, as the team initially refused to leave their hotel in protest until clarity was provided by the ICC.&nbsp;With the apology now issued, Pakistan is expected to continue its participation in the tournament, though the political undertones remain a point of concern as the Asia Cup progresses.

Cricket

Pakistan's handshake dispute with India delays start of its Asia Cup cricket game against UAE

Asia Cup 2025: Andy Pycroft apologises to Pakistan amid India handshake row

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not yet made a final decision regarding the national team&#39;s continued participation in the Asia Cup, PCB spokesperson Aamir Mir confirmed on Tuesday.&nbsp; However, Mir said that consultations are ongoing, and a final decision will be made soon.&nbsp;&quot;The decision will be made keeping Pakistan&#39;s interests in view,&quot; Mir said, amid growing tensions following a controversial incident during Pakistan&rsquo;s group-stage match against India on Sunday. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1968026870185857313&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=3aa1dd5d669953a0a4395babb647158f4d8a5102&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 417px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&nbsp;The PCB recently filed an official complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) against match referee Andy Pycroft, accusing him of violating the &ldquo;Spirit of Cricket&rdquo; by allegedly instructing the captains of Pakistan and India not to shake hands at the toss, a gesture widely regarded as a symbol of sportsmanship.&nbsp;In a related move, the PCB cancelled the team&rsquo;s scheduled pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday&rsquo;s crucial fixture against the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Tournament organizers later confirmed the cancellation, saying: &ldquo;Pakistan will not be holding their pre-match press conference today.&rdquo;&nbsp;The incident has sparked strong reactions from fans and former players across Pakistan. While some fans have urged the team to continue in the tournament, others have demanded a boycott in protest of what they allege to be biased officiating.&nbsp;Despite the ongoing controversy, the PCB released footage of the team attending practice sessions, suggesting that, for now, Pakistan is still preparing to play its next match.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1967973643348263279&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=3aa1dd5d669953a0a4395babb647158f4d8a5102&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 578px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Having lost to India by six wickets in a rain-affected encounter, Pakistan must now win against the UAE to keep their hopes alive of qualifying for the Super Four stage of the continental tournament.

Team still training ahead of must-win match against UAE, amid consultations.

PCB yet to decide on Asia Cup participation amid controversy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to remove match referee from the ongoing Asia Cup following the handshake controversy that surfaced after Pakistan-India match. In a formal complaint lodged with the ICC, PCB said Pakistan will not play in the Asia Cup if the match referee, Andy Pycroft, was not removed immediately. Neither the captains of the two teams shook hands after the toss nor the teams did it after the match ended. The PCB also expressed frustration with pre-match protocols. Officials said Pycroft had advised both the captains not to shake hands at the toss.<div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 320px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1967506160015258020&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=a970db63a599ce537b8800a59741febf4ce8c8d2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1967506160015258020"></iframe></div>Violation of spiritThe PCB has described Pycroft&rsquo;s act as a &ldquo;violation of the spirit&rdquo; of cricket and the Marylebone Cricket Club rulebook of 1788. &ldquo;No handshakes were exchanged before or after the match, which is a direct violation of the game&rsquo;s spirit and long-standing traditions,&rdquo; the PCB stated in its letter. The letter stated that Pycroft &ldquo;failed to fulfil his responsibilities as match referee&rdquo; in violation of the ICC Code of Conduct as could not ensure handshake between the players. Pakistan&rsquo;s concerns escalated after India secured a seven-wicket victory on Sunday. While the Indian players congratulated each other at the dugout, they refrained from acknowledging or shaking hands with the Pakistani team. Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha did not attend the post-match presentation ceremony, breaking from broadcast norms where captains usually share their thoughts. Head coach of the Pakistan cricket team Mike Hesson explained that the reason Salman was absent from the ceremony was because of the Indian team&rsquo;s &ldquo;disappointing&rdquo; conduct at the end of the match. Follow-on effect&ldquo;It was a follow-on effect of the fact that we were obviously keen to engage and shake hands at the end of the match, but that obviously didn&rsquo;t happen,&rdquo; Hesson said. PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi on Monday on his X account said: &ldquo;It was utterly disappointing to witness the lack of sportsmanship today. Dragging politics into the game goes against the very spirit of sports.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 296px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1967324325570359514&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=a970db63a599ce537b8800a59741febf4ce8c8d2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1967324325570359514">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&ldquo;Let&rsquo;s hope future victories are celebrated by all teams with grace,&rdquo; he added.

Pakistan Cricket Board urges ICC to remove referee Pycroft after handshake ban in Asia Cup 2025 sparks sportsmanship controversy.

Pakistan demands ICC remove referee over Asia Cup handshake snub

ISLAMABAD: Mohammad Haris returned to form with a blistering half-century as Pakistan opened their Asia Cup 2025 campaign with a commanding 93-run victory over debutants Oman at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.&nbsp;After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Pakistan posted a modest 160-7, anchored by Haris&rsquo; aggressive 66 off 43 balls, laced with seven boundaries and three sixes. The 23-year-old partnered with Sahibzada Farhan for a crucial 85-run stand for the second wicket, steadying the innings after an early blow.&nbsp;Oman&rsquo;s bowlers kept the scoring in check, with left-arm spinner Aamir Kaleem (3-31) and pacer Shah Faisal (3-34) impressing on debut. Faisal struck early, dismissing Saim Ayub off just the second ball of the match, and later removed Hasan Nawaz (9) and Mohammad Nawaz (19) to complete an eye-catching first outing.&nbsp;Despite the slow middle overs, Fakhar Zaman&rsquo;s unbeaten 23 off 16 balls helped Pakistan add 49 runs in the final five overs to set a competitive total.&nbsp;Oman, featuring several Pakistani expatriates in their lineup, crumbled in reply. Pakistan&rsquo;s bowlers ran riot as Oman were skittled out for 67 in 16.4 overs.&nbsp;Left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem (2-7) and part-timer Saim Ayub (2-8) tore through the middle order, while seamer Faheem Ashraf (2-6) cleaned up the tail. Only Hammad Mirza offered resistance with a brisk 27 off 23 balls, including three boundaries and a six.&nbsp;Pakistan will now face arch-rivals India in a high-stakes Group A clash on Sunday in Dubai, a match eagerly anticipated by fans worldwide.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Bangladesh will take on Sri Lanka in a Group B fixture in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Mohammad Haris scored a crucial 66 as Pakistan defeated Oman by 93 runs in their Asia Cup opener. Pakistan’s bowlers dominated, skittling Oman for 67 runs.

Articles tagged with "Pakistan Cricket"

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