In a new twist to the ongoing Asia Cup, match referee Andy Pycroft may not be on duty for Pakistan’s crucial encounter against the UAE at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday.
According to sources, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) pushed for Pycroft’s removal from the entire tournament following the “no-handshake” controversy after their game against India. While a complete withdrawal of the veteran referee from the Asia Cup looks improbable, strong indications suggest he will be “rested” for the UAE fixture.
Tensions escalated further after the PCB cancelled its scheduled pre-match press conference on Wednesday. A PCB official told TimesofIndia.com that, “Pakistan will play the tournament, but Andy Pycroft will not be officiating the match against the UAE.”
It remains uncertain whether Pycroft will return to officiating in Pakistan’s remaining matches, as the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has yet to respond formally to queries on the issue.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as ACC President, had earlier alleged that Pycroft violated both the ICC Code of Conduct and the Spirit of Cricket. In a now-deleted social media post, Naqvi called for Pycroft’s “immediate removal” from the competition.
Pycroft, a former Zimbabwe cricketer with three Test and 20 ODI appearances, has been a long-serving ICC match referee with experience in more than 100 Test matches. He has previously been at the centre of several high-profile incidents, including the Steve Smith-led ball-tampering saga, Virat Kohli’s clash with an opposition player, and Jos Buttler’s fiery exchange with Vernon Philander.
The 67-year-old’s playing career saw him feature in Zimbabwe’s inaugural Test against India in Harare, where he made notable contributions with the bat. He was also part of Zimbabwe’s squad during the 1983 World Cup, playing in the iconic match where India’s Kapil Dev scored a legendary 175.
Meanwhile, both India and Pakistan trained at the ICC Academy on Tuesday, with their sessions overlapping for about an hour. India have already booked a Super Four spot, while Pakistan face a must-win scenario against UAE. Victory on Wednesday will set up another high-voltage clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan on Sunday.
