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India outrightly deny Pakistan's claim against Andy Pycroft: 'Match referee gave no instruction to Suryakumar Yadav'
Pakistan's complaint against match referee Andy Pycroft for allegedly instructing no handshakes at the toss was dismissed by India.
The Indian cricket team has denied Pakistan’s allegation that match referee Andy Pycroft instructed both captains not to shake hands during the toss ahead of the high-profile Asia Cup 2025 Group A clash between India and Pakistan on Sunday.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had formally lodged a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC), claiming that Pycroft violated the ICC’s Code of Conduct and the Spirit of Cricket by allegedly asking India captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha to skip the customary handshake at the toss.
However, sources within the Indian team told The Indian Express that no such instruction was ever conveyed to Suryakumar by Pycroft. According to the Indian camp, the decision not to shake hands was already taken in light of the recent Pahalgam terror attack. Indian players had chosen to forgo the gesture as a sign of solidarity with the victims and the military operations in Kashmir.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Suryakumar Yadav explained the decision. “I feel a few things, few things in life, are ahead of sportsmen’s spirit also,” he said. The India captain did not shake hands with the Pakistani players either before or after the match, which India won by seven wickets.
Also Read | ICC rejects Pakistan’s Andy Pycroft removal plea in official letter to PCB: 'Match referee acted on ACC's message'
The PCB, on the other hand, alleged that Pycroft privately informed both captains at the toss that handshakes would be skipped, supposedly under advice from the Indian board. In its complaint to the ICC, the PCB cited Article 2.1.1 of the ICC’s Code of Conduct for match officials and support staff, which covers conduct “contrary to the spirit of the game.” The MCC Laws also define the spirit of cricket as involving respect for the game’s traditions and values.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), had demanded Pycroft’s immediate removal from the rest of the tournament. “The PCB has lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding violations by the Match Referee of the ICC Code of Conduct and the MCC Laws pertaining to the Spirit of Cricket. The PCB has demanded an immediate removal of the Match Referee from the Asia Cup,” Naqvi said in a statement on social media.
Adding to the drama, Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson had expressed disappointment at the lack of post-match interaction. “We were ready to shake hands at the end of the game. We went over there to shake hands but they had already gone into the changing room,” Hesson said.
The match was marked by tense political undertones. The post-match scene was in stark contrast to previous instances of camaraderie between Indian and Pakistani players. Old images of Virat Kohli chatting with Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi congratulating Jasprit Bumrah, and birthday celebrations for Babar in the Indian camp have resurfaced on social media, highlighting the change in tone this year.
Despite the tensions, the encounter drew a near-capacity crowd in Dubai, a stark contrast to the largely empty stands seen in the earlier matches of the tournament. The India-Pakistan rivalry remains the primary draw for the Asia Cup, which could see the two sides clash twice more if Pakistan defeat the UAE to enter the Super Four stage.
