PCB Knocks on ICC’s Door After India Refuses Handshake in Asia Cup Match
Pakistan has lodged a formal complaint with the ICC, demanding the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft after India refused handshakes post-Asia Cup 2025 clash.
The no-handshake saga between India and Pakistan after Match 6 of the Asia Cup 2025 has erupted into a full-blown controversy.
A day after Indian players walked off without exchanging customary handshakes, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officially lodged a complaint with the ICC, demanding the immediate removal of match referee Andy Pycroft for what they called a “serious violation” of the Spirit of Cricket.
PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi took to X, writing, “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 the immediate removal of the Match Referee from the Asia Cup.”
The episode has been building up for days. It started at the captains’ meet, when Salman Agha skipped the formal handshake with Suryakumar Yadav, before tensions resurfaced at the toss where the two captains avoided eye contact altogether.
But the flashpoint came after Sunday’s game, when India sealed a seven-wicket win and refused to shake hands.
Instead, Suryakumar led his men straight into the dressing room, leaving Pakistan players stranded on the field waiting.
Matters got worse when Team India reportedly shut the dressing-room doors, leaving the Pakistan players embarrassed.
The fallout has seen former Pakistan cricketers Shoaib Akhtar, Basit Ali and Kamran Akmal slam the incident on live television, calling it an insult to the game.
Meanwhile, Agha Salman himself skipped the post-match presentation, with sources divided on whether it was in protest against India or to avoid host Sanjay Manjrekar.
With India and Pakistan likely to meet again in the Super Four next week, the handshake row has set the stage for even more tension.
