In what can be termed as a setback for the Pakistan team at the ongoing Asia Cup in the UAE, under-fire Andy Pycroft will return as the match referee for the high-stakes Super Fours India-Pakistan match in Dubai on September 21.
Though the names of the officials for tomorrow’s match has not been made official, PTI confirmed that the 69-year-old Zimbabwean, who is a member of the ICC’s Elite Panel, will be the match referee despite the Pakistan team’s reservations earlier.
It all started on September 14, after Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with rival skipper Salman Ali Agha both after the toss and post the match, as a gesture of solidarity with the victims of Pahalgam terrorist attack.
A miffed Pakistan team put the blame on Pycroft, and wrote two mails to the ICC, first requesting his removal from the Asia Cup, and then asking him to be removed from their matches.
The ICC, however, rejected both the demands, throwing its weight behind Pycroft. The global body said that Pycroft was only a “messenger”, who passed on what was conveyed to him from the designated venue manager of Asian Cricket Council. India’s decision to refrain from handshakes with their opponents was conveyed to Pycroft only minutes before the match, the ICC said.
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Pakistan had threatened to pull out of their last match against the UAE if Pycroft was retained as the match referee. The match was delayed by an hour, but the team finally took the field, claiming that Pycroft had apologised to Pakistan manager Naveed Akram Cheema and captain Salman Ali Agha for “miscommunication” during the toss. Reports suggest that Pakistan would have had to pay $16 million to the ICC as compensation if they had boycotted the match.
In a press conference later, ex-Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja termed match referee Andy Pycroft a “permanent fixer for India” and a “favourite for Team India”. He was flanked by incumbent PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi another former PCB chief, Najam Sethi.
The ICC, later clarified that Pycroft never apologised but only "regretted the miscommunication".
The global cricket body’s repeated snubs, and the decision to appoint Pycroft for the match tomorrow despite Pakistan’s reservations, is a clear indication that the ICC does not to set the wrong precedent by giving in to a team’s demands.