late on Wednesday after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) staged a protest against the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) refusal to replace match referee Andy Pycroft. UAE captain Muhammad Waseem won the toss and elected to bowl in the presence of Pycroft and Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The fixture, originally set for 8:00 PM IST (6:30 PM local time), started at 9:00 PM IST (7:30 PM local time) after behind-the-scenes negotiations. Both Pakistan and the UAE entered the contest in a must-win situation: the winner advances to the Super Four alongside India, while the loser exits the tournament.
PCB chairman and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi announced on X: “We have asked the Pakistan team to depart for the Dubai Cricket Stadium. Further details to follow.” Earlier, PCB advisor Amir Mir confirmed that the match would be delayed, saying: “The consultation process is underway. The PCB chairman is holding discussions with former PCB chiefs Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi.”
Sources revealed that Pakistan’s players were instructed to remain at their hotel until negotiations concluded, delaying their scheduled 5:00 PM PST departure.
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The PCB submitted two demands to the ICC: first, the immediate removal of Pycroft as match referee, and second, disciplinary action against Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav for alleged politically charged remarks. The ICC has not yet issued an official response.
The protest follows the heated Pakistan-India group match, where Indian players, led by Yadav, reportedly refused to shake hands with Pakistan’s squad. Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha skipped the post-match presentation in protest. According to the PCB, Pycroft advised Salman not to shake hands and blocked the exchange of team sheets, which the board described as biased and irregular.
The PCB wrote in a letter to the ICC: “The match referee failed to discharge his responsibility: to ensure that respect was extended and maintained amongst the captains as well as between the two competing sides; and to create a positive atmosphere by his conduct and encourage the captains and participating teams to do likewise.”
Revenue and Disciplinary Risks Loom
Pakistan had threatened to boycott the UAE fixture unless Pycroft was replaced, a move that could have cost the board up to USD 16 million in revenue and triggered disciplinary sanctions. Despite the protest, the ICC rejected the demand, and the match proceeded under Pycroft’s supervision.
Meanwhile, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav defended his team’s refusal to shake hands, saying it was in solidarity with victims of the recent Pahalgam terror attack and in support of the Indian Armed Forces’ Operation Sindoor.
