India Vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2025: Referee Pycroft Faces PCB Heat As Handshake Controversy Escalates

Dubai [UAE]: The highly anticipated India-Pakistan Asia Cup clash in Dubai on Sunday has spiraled into controversy, with match referee Andy Pycroft caught in the middle of a row over the absence of customary handshakes. India clinched a comfortable seven-wicket win, but it was events off the field that have dominated headlines.

No Handshakes Before or After the Game

Tensions rose when players from neither side exchanged handshakes, either before the toss or after the match. According to India's T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav, the decision was not spontaneous but taken after discussions with both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian government.

“Our government and BCCI – we were aligned today,” Suryakumar explained at the post-match press conference.“Rest, we took a call (about not shaking hands). We came here to just play the game. We have given a proper reply,” he added.

Pakistan Left Upset

The move stunned the Pakistan team, who claimed they had been waiting after the game to greet their opponents, only to realize India had decided otherwise. Head coach Mike Hesson admitted the players were“disappointed,” while captain Salman Agha skipped his mandatory post-match broadcast appearance in protest.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) later issued a statement confirming that team manager Naveed Akram Cheema had formally protested against referee Andy Pycroft.

“Manager Naveed Akram Cheema has registered a formal protest against the match referee's behaviour,” the statement read.“Match referee requested the captains not to shake hands during the toss,” it added.

Referee Pycroft Under Scrutiny

PCB's allegation places Pycroft at the heart of the storm, with claims that he actively instructed both captains to avoid shaking hands even before play began. His official response to the complaint is still awaited.

The PCB statement went a step further, describing India's actions as“against sportsmanship.”

Political Undertones Cannot Be Ignored

This was the first meeting between the arch-rivals since the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in April, an incident that has strained relations across the border. Calls for India to withdraw from the tournament had surfaced in the build-up, but New Delhi eventually allowed participation only under the policy of engaging Pakistan in multilateral tournaments, not bilateral ones.

Suryakumar, dedicating the victory to the Armed Forces, also reiterated the emotional backdrop.“Few things in life are ahead of sportsman spirit also. I've (said) it at the presentation as well, we stand with all the victims of Pahalgam terror attacks, stand with their families, and express our solidarity,” he said.

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