Pakistan to take U-turn over Asia Cup boycott threat to avoid ICC sanctions

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will take a U-turn after threatening to leave the Asia Cup 2025 midway over a controversial handshake snub in the match against India. Pakistan were not pleased with the ICC match referee Andy Pycroft, who played a role in the controversy and wanted his removal from the Continental Cup. PCB was ready to pull out of the tournament if the official was not removed by the ICC, which had turned down Pakistan’s request, giving a clean chit to Pycroft.

Despite a big setback, Pakistan are set to continue to remain part of the competition to avoid sanctions from the ICC.

“Pakistan will not pull out of the Asia Cup,” a PCB source told the Times of India. “If we have done it, the ICC would have put heavy sanctions on the PCB, and this is something we can’t afford. The financial position is not good,” he added.

Pakistan will have to improve its performance to make it to the final of the Asia Cup.

Pakistan team manager Naved Cheema had said that Pycroft didn’t allow the two captains to exchange the team sheets. After India’s seven-wicket win, Suryakumar Yadav and his players didn’t shake hands with the rivals.

Pycroft has officiated in 695 international games across formats.

PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi sacked the board’s Director of Cricket Operations, Usman Walha, for not informing skipper Salman Agha about the no handshake policy.