Ramiz Raja Calls Andy Pycroft India’s 'Permanent Fixer'; Here’s Why It’s Misleading

The quote went viral on social media, but analytics and statistics indicate that it was more of an overreaction to recent events rather than a fact.

What Does a Match Referee Really Do?

Raja's observations miss the real function of a match referee. In contrast to umpires who decide on-field, referees work behind the scenes. Their responsibilities are:

• Enforcing the ICC Code of Conduct
• Dealing with disciplinary matters
• Keeping track of player conduct
• Submitting post-match reports

Referees do not make dismissals, boundaries, or no-ball calls, which means they cannot affect the outcome of matches.

ICC Appointment Protocols Guarantee Neutrality

The ICC is stern when it comes to refereeing assignments and the teams do not get a say in the matter. Assignments are done to ensure fairness and impartiality.

The Numbers Tell the Story

Raja also stated that Pycroft had officiated 90 India matches, but the actual facts paint a different picture. Pycroft had officiated 124 India matches, but is it the highest for any nation? The answer is no. He has been a match referee in 135 matches of South Africa, the most for any country.

Matches (Tests/ODIs/T20Is) officiated (as a referee) by Andy Pycroft:

(Number as of 17th September 2025)

India comes in third on the list, after South Africa and Sri Lanka. This serves to directly contradict Raja's assertion that Pycroft has officiated "90 matches" of India, as the number is a much higher one that is evenly distributed over countries. This further raises questions on the credibility of the statements given by him as it clearly shows that he as not gone through the numbers before making any claims.

Conclusion

Ramiz Raja's words appear more emotive than real, uttered in the heat of the Asia Cup handshake controversy. The truth is evident, Andy Pycroft is not India's "fixer" but an impartial ICC official whose responsibilities are assigned to all cricket-playing countries.