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The Asia Cup 2025 faced an unexpected controversy on Wednesday when Pakistan’s clash with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Dubai was delayed by an hour.
PCB’s protest over Andy Pycroft causes match delay against UAE
The delay stemmed from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s protest against the appointment of match referee Andy Pycroft, who had been at the center of the recent India-Pakistan handshake row.
Reports suggest that the Pakistan team even threatened to withdraw and initially refused to leave their hotel for the stadium, creating chaos and forcing organizers into last-minute negotiations.
Murali Kartik labels PCB’s behaviour as “absolutely childish”
Former India spinner Murali Kartik did not hold back in his criticism of Pakistan
Speaking on Cricbuzz, Kartik described the incident as “absolutely childish” and “churlish.”
“If you want to take a stand, please go ahead. But stick to it and have conviction. Just because you see there could be a financial implication – 16 million USD over a handshake saga – I can’t think of anything. Even kids in kindergarten nowadays don’t behave like this,” Kartik remarked.
The former cricketer further highlighted how the unnecessary drama disrupted fans’ experience, particularly children attending the match on a school night, and also affected the UAE players’ preparation.
ICC refuses PCB’s demand, backs Andy Pycroft
Despite PCB’s protest, the International Cricket Council (ICC) stood firm and did not replace Pycroft as match referee. According to reports, the ICC stressed that Pycroft had been cleared in its own internal review, concluding that he had committed no wrongdoing during the India-Pakistan fixture.
The Jay Shah-led ICC acknowledged PCB’s right to lodge a complaint but rejected their demand, warning that ruling in their favour could create a dangerous precedent in global cricket governance.
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Amid the backlash, PCB issued an official statement claiming that Pycroft apologized to Pakistan’s team manager and captain for his role in the handshake controversy.
“Controversial ICC match referee Andy Pycroft has apologized to the Pakistan cricket team’s manager and captain. Andy Pycroft had forbidden the captains of both teams from shaking hands during the India-Pakistan match. The Pakistan Cricket Board reacted strongly to Andy Pycroft’s action. Andy Pycroft apologizes for September 14 incident, calling it a miscommunication,” the PCB statement read.
In the end, the match went ahead after a one-hour delay, but the controversy overshadowed the cricket, once again putting the spotlight on Pakistan’s off-field theatrics rather than on-field performance.
