Andy Pycroft to remain as match referee for India vs Pakistan Super 4 clash

In a notable development, Andy Pycroft will remain the match referee for the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup match on Sunday, September 21, at the Dubai International Stadium.

As reported by PTI’s Kushan Sarkar, the ICC has not acted on the PCB’s previous request and has confirmed that Andy Pycroft, the former Zimbabwe cricketer, will once again serve as the match referee for the India vs Pakistan clash.

What is the Issue Surrounding Andy Pycroft?

Andy Pycroft is hogging the limelight since the Indo-Pak match on September 14. The Suryakumar Yadav-led team declined to shake hands with Pakistan, citing the country’s involvement in the recent killings in Kashmir.

This action upset the PCB, who requested the ICC to remove Pycroft, accusing him of miscommunication and failure to notify the board about India’s decision not to shake hands.

The situation intensified over the following days, but the ICC stood by its decision and took no action against the 69-year-old official. Pakistan then threatened to boycott the Asia Cup unless Pycroft was removed.

The issue escalated further, with the PCB instructing the team to remain at their hotel before their match against the UAE. Eventually, a meeting was held between the PCB officials and Pycroft at the Dubai International Stadium, where it was reported that the official apologised to Salman Agha and the coach for the misunderstanding.

Despite the controversy, Pycroft continued as the match referee, and Pakistan later agreed to play against the UAE, winning comfortably and progressing to the Super 4 round.