E-Paper
Sign in
PCB’s version of Andy Pycroft apology exposed as false after muted evidence stirs buzz: 'There was no question…'
The development came a day after a muted video circulated on social media, with Andy Pycroft in conversation with the Pakistan camp in the Dubai stadium.
The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) claim that ICC match referee Andy Pycroft had apologised to the team on Wednesday has been exposed as false, according to a fresh media report. The development came a day after a muted video circulated on social media, with Pycroft in conversation with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha, team manager Naveed Akram Cheema, and head coach Mike Hesson in the match referee's room at the Dubai International Stadium before the start of their match against the UAE.
In the aftermath of the handshake storm on Sunday at the same venue during the Asia Cup match against India, PCB lodged a complaint to the ICC against Pycroft, alleging that the Zimbabwean sparked the controversy by asking the two captains not to shake hands at the toss. Calling it a "misconduct of the highest order" and a breach of the Code of Conduct, Pakistan demanded his suspension from the tournament and threatened to pull out.
ALSO READ: Pakistan captain Salman Agha roars at India after beating UAE to earn a rematch in Super Four of Asia Cup 2025
After the first plea was rejected, they filed a second. PCB stood its ground, even instructing its players not to leave the team hotel for the game against the UAE on Wednesday. As the stand-off between the PCB and the ICC continued, the Pakistan board held an elaborate meeting at home, which included former chairpersons Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi coming together with incumbent office bearer Mohsin Naqvi (incidentally also the Asia Cricket Council (ACC) head), before a go-ahead was given to the Pakistan team for the match.
Shortly after, PCB released a statement on social media claiming that Pycroft apologised for the miscommunication caused on Sunday. It read: "The ICC's match referee, Andy Pycroft, has apologised to the manager and captain of the Pakistan cricket team. Andy Pycroft had barred the captains of India and Pakistan from shaking hands during their match. The Pakistan Cricket Board had strongly reacted to Andy Pycroft's actions. Andy Pycroft termed the September 14 incident a result of miscommunication and apologised. The ICC has expressed its willingness to conduct an inquiry into the code of conduct violation that occurred during the September 14 match."
But did Pycroft actually apologise?
According to a report in the Times of India, it was the 69-year-old who came up with the suggestion to hold a meeting with Agha and Cheema at the match referee's room after the squad reached the venue for the game against the UAE. It added that Pycroft spoke to the Pakistan camp "regarding the possible miscommunication which happened."
But was it an apology? No, claimed the report. "There was no question of any apology. Especially from someone who did no wrong," a well-placed source told TOI.
ICC claimed the same in their six-point rebuttal to the PCB, in which it maintained that the board's complaints were baseless.
"The ICC's investigation was conducted on the basis of the information provided in the report lodged by the PCB. We took the report at Face value and note that no supporting documentation or evidence was provided with it.
"The PCB had every opportunity to submit statement from its team members alongside the initial report but chose not to do so."
The world body said that there was "no case to answer" on part of the match referee.
"The actions that match referee took was, following clear directions to him from ACC (Asian Cricket Council) Venue Manager, were consistent with how a match referee will deal with such an issue, communicated as it was with no time for him to do anything else (minutes before the toss)."
The apex body further said that Pycroft's act at the toss was merely an attempt at "avoiding any potential embarrassment that might have arisen. "
"The Match Referee was not at fault in any of this."
"It is not the role of the Match Referee to regulate a team or tournament specific protocols which have been agreed outside of the area of play, that is a matter for the tournament organizers and relevant team managers," the ICC added.
