The India-Pakistan match in the Asia Cup 2025 is always a thrilling one, but this time, the drama of not shaking hands left everyone stunned.
Right before the toss, there was no high-five or handshake between captain Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha; they just stared straight ahead.
And now, ICC match referee Andy Pycroft has dropped a bombshell.
What’s the whole matter?
ICC match referee Andy Pycroft revealed the role of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi in the no-handshake controversy.
Before the Group A match in Dubai on September 14, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) venue manager informed Pycroft “four minutes before” the toss.
He said, “The BCCI has decided that Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav will not shake hands with Pakistani captain Salman Ali Agha at the toss.”
Pycroft later stated, “The ICC match referee is believed to have told Pakistan that he was merely the messenger of India’s decision not to shake hands on Sunday.”
That is, he was merely the messenger; the real game was played in Mohsin Sahib’s court.
The Pakistani side was stunned. Captain Salman Agha must have thought, ‘What is going on?’ But Pycroft informed him privately before the toss, to avoid public embarrassment.
Nevertheless, the PCB started shouting, accusing Pycroft of violating the ICC Code of Conduct.
Mohsin Naqvi even tweeted, “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.”
They began demanding Pycroft’s exclusion from the tournament, even threatening to boycott the UAE match.
But the ICC flatly denied, stating, “Pycroft hadn’t breached any rules.”
