DUBAI – ICC match referee Andy Pycroft has apologized to Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha and the team manager following a handshake controversy during the Asia Cup clash against India.
ICC had earlier confirmed that Pycroft would remain on the panel of match referees for the tournament, after an internal review cleared him of any wrongdoing.
The investigation found that Pycroft had advised both players to avoid a handshake at the toss to prevent any potential awkwardness, and no match protocols were violated.
While acknowledging Pakistan’s concerns, the ICC emphasized that the appointment of match officials is entirely under its jurisdiction and cannot be influenced by member boards. The council also cautioned that yielding to such demands could create a dangerous precedent.
Pakistan is batting first after United Arab Emirates won the toss and chose to field in their much-postponed men’s Asia Cup encounter. The match is finally taking place on Wednesday, following an apology from Zimbabwean referee Andy Pycroft to Pakistan’s captain and manager over earlier confusion after the Pakistan-India game.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said at the toss, “We want to play a complete game today. Our middle overs in the last match weren’t ideal, and today is a chance to get it right.”
Men in Green Shirts made two changes to their lineup, with Haris Rauf and Khushdil Shah replacing Faheem Ashraf and Sufyan Muqeem.
Pakistan Team heads to Dubai stadium as Asia Cup Clash against UAE Back On
