The Indian cricket team has denied Pakistan’s allegation that match referee Andy Pycroft instructed both captains to avoid the customary handshake during the toss of the Asia Cup 2025 Group A clash in Dubai 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 asking India captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha to skip the gesture.
However, sources within the Indian team, quoted by The Indian Express in a report, said that no such instruction was ever given. According to the Indian camp, the decision was taken independently in light of the Pahalgam terror attack, with players choosing to forgo the handshake as a show of solidarity with the victims and ongoing military operations in Kashmir.
Speaking after India’s seven-wicket win, Suryakumar said: “I feel a few things, few things in life, are ahead of sportsmen’s spirit also.”
PCB Demands Removal of Match Referee Pycroft
The PCB insisted that Pycroft privately instructed both captains at the toss to skip the handshake, allegedly under advice from the Indian board. Citing Article 2.1.1 of the ICC’s Code of Conduct, which covers behaviour “contrary to the spirit of the game,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), demanded Pycroft’s immediate removal.
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“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 stated on social media.
Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson also expressed disappointment, saying: “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.”
The episode added tension to an already politically charged clash. While past encounters have often shown camaraderie—such as Virat Kohli’s chats with Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi congratulating Jasprit Bumrah—this year’s scenes marked a sharp contrast.
Despite the controversy, the India-Pakistan fixture drew a near-capacity crowd in Dubai, underscoring the enduring appeal of cricket’s fiercest rivalry.
