The ongoing Asia Cup 2025 has taken another dramatic turn as the International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) demand to remove match referee Andy Pycroft.
The PCB had accused Pycroft of instructing Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha not to shake hands with Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav during the toss in Dubai. Pakistan viewed this as unfair and alleged that the referee was siding with India.
In response, the ICC clarified that Pycroft was acting on instructions passed on by tournament officials at the venue. According to a report by Cricbuzz, the match officials on the ground had already conveyed that the handshake would not take place, and Pycroft simply relayed the message to Salman Agha. The ICC stressed that the decision had nothing to do with Indian influence and dismissed Pakistan’s claims of bias.
The PCB had threatened to boycott their final group match against the UAE if Pycroft was not replaced. However, the ICC’s strong stance is a setback for Pakistan, as their demand has been outrightly rejected.
Interestingly, the PCB has claimed that it has not yet received any official communication from the ICC on the matter, leaving the situation uncertain ahead of the Pakistan versus UAE clash.
The match holds significant importance, as it will decide the final spot in the Super Four stage. India and Sri Lanka have already qualified, while Oman and Hong Kong are out of the tournament. Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the UAE are still in contention for the remaining two places.
Bangladesh must beat Afghanistan to stay alive, but their fate will also depend on Afghanistan’s result against Sri Lanka and the net run rate. For Pakistan and the UAE, the scenario is straightforward. Their head-to-head match will act as a virtual knockout, with the winner advancing to the Super Four. If the game ends without a result, Pakistan will qualify on net run rate, while the UAE must win to stay in the tournament.