The Pakistan Cricket Board has referred to as for match referee Andy Pycroft to be withdrawn from the Asia Cup in an escalation of the row over India’s refusal to shake fingers on the sphere.
The edges met in Dubai on Sunday, the primary match between the rivals for the reason that main political battle between the nations earlier this 12 months.
India received the sport by seven wickets however pointedly declined the standard present of respect on the finish of the sport.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha responded by failing to talk on the post-match presentation, with reverse quantity Suryakumar Yadav dedicating the win to his nation’s armed forces.
Now the PCB has requested Pycroft be pulled from the match, reportedly because of the Zimbabwean’s dealing with of the toss – which additionally noticed no handshake between the skippers.
PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi wrote on X: “The PCB has lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding violations by the match referee of the ICC Code of Conduct and the ICC Laws pertaining to the spirit of cricket. The PCB has demanded an immediate removal of the match referee from the Asia Cup.”
Sky Sports activities Information has approached the ICC for remark, with world cricket’s governing physique but to situation a public response.
The event got here after a late-night PCB assertion launched in Urdu to home media, described Pycroft’s resolution as “against sportsmanship” and mentioned crew supervisor Naveed Akram Cheema registered a “formal protest against the match referee’s behaviour” with the Worldwide Cricket Council.
“Utterly disappointing to witness the lack of sportsmanship,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi wrote in a submit on X.
“Dragging politics into the game goes against the very spirit of sports. Lets hope future victories are celebrated by all teams with grace.”
Suryakumar, who hit the successful runs for India, didn’t anticipate the customary handshakes with opposing gamers after the match earlier than strolling to the dressing room alongside along with his team-mate Shivam Dube.
Agha reacted by skipping a post-match TV interview with former India worldwide cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, a transfer which Pakistan coach Mike Hesson described as a “follow-on effect”.
“We were ready to shake hands at the end of the game, we obviously are disappointed that our opposition didn’t do that,” added Hesson, a New Zealander who was appointed to the Pakistan job in Could.
“We sort of went over there to shake hands and they’d already gone into the changing room. That was a disappointing way for the match to finish, and a match we were disappointed for the way we played but we were certainly willing to shake hands.”
Indian and Pakistan can solely meet in multi-team tournaments
Sunday’s sport was the primary between the highest cricket groups from India and Pakistan for the reason that Pahalgam assault in April, when gunmen opened fireplace on a gaggle of vacationers in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
India is the designated host of the eight-nation Asia Cup, however the T20 match is being performed within the United Arab Emirates as a result of the India and Pakistan cricket groups don’t play on one another’s territory.
There was additionally uncertainty over India’s participation within the Asia Cup till the federal government clarified that the cricketers could be allowed to compete towards Pakistan in multinational tournaments.
Suryakumar mentioned the Indian crew was aligned with the Board of Management for Cricket in India and authorities directions that gamers wouldn’t shake fingers with Pakistan gamers.
India T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav and batting associate Shivam Dube instantly left the sphere moderately than shaking fingers within the center, as is the norm
“Our government and BCCI, we were aligned today,” Suryakumar mentioned in a post-match information convention. “We came here to just play the game. We stand with all the victims of Pahalgam terror attacks, stand with their families, and express our solidarity.”
Each groups are prone to play once more within the Tremendous 4 stage later this week, in the event that they place first and second in Group A. India and Pakistan can even meet within the ladies’s World Cup on October 5, stay on Sky Sports activities.
