The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) demand to remove official Andy Pycroft as a match referee from the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 after Team India refused to shake hands with Pakistan after a nine-wicket win at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, September 14.

The Men in Blue, led by Suryakumar Yadav, made the bold decision to avoid shaking hands with Pakistan as a mark of protest against the Pahalgam terror attack, rattling the rival nation's cricket fraternity. The recently concluded Asia Cup 2025 clash between India and Pakistan was the first face-off since the militant attack on civilians in Baisaran Meadows, seven kilometers from the Pahalgam district of Jammu and Kashmir.

At the toss, Suryakumar Yadav avoided shaking hands with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha. After the Indian skipper hit a winning six, the Team India players refrained from the customary handshake, underscoring India's protest and drawing widespread attention both on and off the field.

PCB demand rejected by ICC

After the match between India and Pakistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) manager, Naved Cheema, filed a complaint with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), accusing the match referee, Andy Pycroft, of informing both captains, Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha, to avoid shaking hands before and after the match.

Thereafter, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the ACC Chief, informed that the board lodged a complaint with ICC regarding the removal of Andy Pycroft as a match referee from the Asia Cup 2025, stating that the Zimbabwean official had violated the Code of Conduct.

“The PCB has lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding violations by the Match Referee of the ICC Code of Conduct and the MCC Laws pertaining to the Spirit of Cricket. The PCB has demanded an immediate removal of the Match Referee from the Asia Cup," Naqvi wrote on his social media as quoted by Cricbuzz.

BREAKING: ICC has officially PCB's demand to replace match referee Andy Pycroft at the ongoing #AsiaCup2025 twitter/gO1uYQT4X1

- Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) September 16, 2025

As per the latest report by Press Trust of India (PTI), the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) demand, stating that Pycroft won't be removed as a match referee of the Asia Cup 2025.

“Late last night, ICC had sent a reply to PCB stating that Pycroft won't be removed and their plea has been rejected," an ICC source told the PTI.

Embarrassment for Pakistan and PCB

The International Cricket Council's refusal to accept the Pakistan Cricket Board's demand to remove Andy Pycroft has caused embarrassment for Pakistan and its board. As per the report by RevSportz, the ICC made it crystal clear to PCB that Pycroft was not at fault, and the demand to remove the Zimbabwean official was unfounded.

The ICC was not willing to entertain any such demands by the PCB, which stated that Pycroft would continue as match referee for the Asia Cup 2025 and that the PCB's demand had been officially rejected. Earlier, it was reported that the cricket world governing body was not willing to pay heed to the PCB's complaint regarding the handshake incident and the removal of Pycroft from further officiating in the Asia Cup 2025.

BREAKINGICC has rejected PCB's demand for the removal of Andy Pycroft from the Asia Cup, stating firmly that the match referee was at no fault.@BoriaMajumdar and @CricSubhayan with details.@ThumsUpOfficial #INDvsPAK #IndianCricket #AsiaCup2025 twitter/R0pRgwl9fz

- RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) September 16, 2025

In response to the Pakistan Cricket Board, the International Cricket Council stated that the Pycroft had acted correctly and followed the playbook, dismissing the PCB's allegations as baseless.

As ICC rejected PCB's demand, Andy Pycroft will continue to officiate as a match referee in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025. The Zimbabwean official, who is an elite ICC committee member, was the match referee in the match between Sri Lanka and Hong Kong at the Dubai International Stadium on Monday, September 15.

Will Pakistan boycott the match against UAE?

As PCB demand has been officially rejected by the ICC, the main question is whether Pakistan will boycott their final group stage match against the UAE, which will take place on Wednesday, September 17. It was reported that PCB threatened to boycott their Asia Cup 2025 campaign if their demand to remove Andy Pycroft was not met.

Pakistan are currently at the second spot in Group A with two points from a win and a defeat and a win away from officially sealing their spot in the group stage. There is no official confirmation from the PCB regarding a boycott, leaving uncertainty over whether the team will take the field against the UAE as scheduled.

If Pakistan pulls out of the final group stage clash against the UAE, the match will be considered forfeited, and two points will be awarded to the hosts, who will qualify for the Super 4 stage.

Meanwhile, Team India became the first team to qualify for the Super 4 stage, followed by Sri Lanka, who secured their knockout spot after defeating Hong Kong.

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