ICC Poised to Reject PCB's Request to Oust Match Referee Pycroft Amid Handshake Controversy

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has yet to issue an official response to the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) request for a change of match referee. However, indications strongly suggest that the governing body is unlikely to accede to PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi's demand to replace Andy Pycroft from the panel of match referees for the Asia Cup.

At the time of writing, it remained unclear whether the ICC had formally responded to Naqvi's mail. However, the prevailing impression is that there are no sufficient grounds to accede to the PCB's request. Should a response not yet have been issued, it is expected shortly.

The dominant view within the ICC is that Pycroft had only a minimal role in the handshake episode, and that all he may have done was convey a message to the Pakistan captain to avoid the public embarrassment of one captain refusing to shake hands with the other at the toss.

The general view is that it would set a wrong precedent to change a match official at the demand of one member when, prima facie, he had no serious role in the controversy that arose after Indian players refused to shake hands with their Pakistan counterparts following an Asia Cup league fixture on Sunday (September 14) night at the Dubai International Stadium.

The PCB is upset with the Indian players' reaction, but shaking hands with the opposition before or after a match is, clearly, not mandatory, even under the MCC manual. The same point may be explained to the PCB by the world body in its response.

The latest turn of events could lead to some sort of uncertainty over the Asia Cup as Pakistan is believed to have threatened to not play their match against the UAE if their demand is not upheld. Pycroft, incidentally, is the match official for the game on September 17.

More to follow...