Pakistan demands removal of cricket match referee over India handshake dispute

Tensions between India and Pakistan have spilt over from the pitch into the corridors of cricket governance following a high-stakes Asia Cup 2025 encounter in Dubai on Sunday, 14 September. In a dramatic escalation, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has demanded the "immediate removal" of match referee Andy Pycroft, alleging he instructed Pakistan's captain to forgo traditional handshakes with Indian players after their thrilling seven-run victory. 

The row, which has drawn accusations of unsportsmanlike conduct and threats of a boycott, risks overshadowing the continental tournament co-hosted by the UAE and Sri Lanka. With bilateral relations between the arch-rivals already strained, this incident highlights the delicate etiquette that underpins cricket's gentlemanly ethos, potentially jeopardising future encounters and drawing scrutiny from the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Details of handshake incident

The controversy erupted at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium during the Group A fixture, where Pakistan defended a modest total of 167 to edge out India in a tense chase. Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal's aggressive 76 set the tone, but Pakistan's bowlers, led by Haris Rauf's fiery spell, restricted them to 160 all out. 

Post-match, television footage captured an awkward scene: Indian players, including captain Suryakumar Yadav, bypassed the customary line-up to shake hands with their opponents, opting instead for hurried waves or no acknowledgement at all. 

PCB officials claim this snub was deliberate, citing it as a breach of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Laws on the spirit of the game.

According to sources, Pycroft, a veteran Zimbabwean referee with over two decades on the elite panel, intervened during the presentations. He reportedly advised Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha against pursuing handshakes, suggesting it might "provoke" the Indians amid heightened security concerns and historical animosities. 

The PCB's formal complaint to the ICC and MCC accuses Pycroft of neglecting his duty to uphold fair play, arguing his guidance undermined Pakistan's right to post-match courtesies. Critics within the board have labelled it "patronising interference", drawing parallels to past diplomatic spats that have seen matches relocated or cancelled.

Former Indian all-rounder Suresh Raina, speaking on a podcast, offered a candid Indian perspective, revealing that players were "forced" by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to participate despite reservations. "No one wanted to play Pakistan—it's always tense, with threats and politics—but the board pushed us for the sake of the tournament," Raina said, alluding to boycott calls from hardline groups in both nations. This admission has fuelled debates on whether the snub was spontaneous player frustration or orchestrated avoidance.

PCB's response, boycott threat

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi wasted no time in firing off a strongly worded letter to ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice and MCC president Kumar Sangakkara, demanding Pycroft's ousting from the Asia Cup panel. "This is a clear violation of the ICC Code of Conduct and the spirit of cricket," the missive stated, warning that failure to act could prompt Pakistan's withdrawal from remaining matches, including potential semi-finals. Sources indicate the board views Pycroft's actions as biased, especially given his history of officiating Indo-Pak games without prior incidents.

The threat carries weight: Pakistan's participation in the Asia Cup, already a hybrid event due to India's refusal to tour the subcontinent, hinges on such goodwill gestures. A boycott could cascade into forfeited points for co-hosts Sri Lanka and disrupt the tournament's commercial viability, estimated at $50 million in broadcast revenues. Naqvi, a political heavyweight, has rallied support from former captains like Wasim Akram, who tweeted that "handshakes are cricket's soul—denying them insults the game".

Suspension of PCB official

In a swift internal purge, the PCB suspended the director of international cricket, Usman Wahla, on Monday, citing his "failure to act decisively" during the incident. Wahla, tasked with on-ground coordination, stands accused of not escalating the snub immediately to tournament organisers, allowing it to fester into a diplomatic crisis. The move, announced via a terse board statement, signals Naqvi's zero-tolerance stance on perceived lapses, with Wahla sidelined pending an inquiry that could extend to match-day security lapses.

This is not the first such shake-up under Naqvi's tenure; earlier this year, he overhauled the selection committee amid white-ball woes. Analysts see it as a bid to project strength amid domestic criticism that the PCB prioritises Indo-Pak optics over on-field results.

Indian perspective and BCCI silence

The BCCI has maintained a studied silence, with no official comment as of Monday evening. However, informal sources suggest the board views the row as overblown, attributing the no-handshake to post-match fatigue and security protocols rather than malice. Yadav, in a brief team huddle, reportedly quipped that "cricket is played with the ball, not hands", downplaying the furore. 

Raina's revelations, however, have irked Indian fans, who flooded social media, accusing him of airing "dirty laundry" ahead of the World Cup.

Prominent voices like Sunil Gavaskar have urged restraint, arguing that "geopolitics shouldn't poison sport", while Ravi Shastri, India's coach, emphasised focusing on the next game against Nepal. Privately, BCCI officials worry a referee change could set a precedent for politically motivated meddling, potentially affecting neutral umpiring in future derbies.

Reactions on social media

The row has ignited a firestorm on X, formerly Twitter, with #HandshakeRow and #AsiaCupBoycott trending globally. Pakistani users decried Pycroft as "India's puppet", sharing memes of him waving off handshakes like a traffic warden. One viral post from @OsintUpdates warned of a "Pakistan pullout", garnering over 500 views in hours. Indian netizens countered with jabs at Pakistan's "sour grapes", pointing to their own boycott threats in past tournaments.

Neutral observers, including @IndiaToday anchor Nikhil Naz, dissected the drama in a live segment, questioning if Pycroft's advice stemmed from genuine risk assessment amid reported threats to players. Broader discourse touched on cricket's colonial roots, with users like @saleemkhaliq lamenting how "a simple gesture exposes deep divides". Engagement spiked, with Cricbuzz's announcement of the PCB demand amassing 2,400 likes.

Implications for Asia Cup and beyond

With the tournament at a crossroads—India atop Group A, Pakistan second—the row threatens to derail the semi-final lineup on 20 September. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has convened an emergency virtual meeting for Tuesday, where Pycroft's fate hangs in the balance; sources hint at a compromise, such as reassigning him to non-Indo-Pak games. A boycott would hand India an automatic progression but tarnish the event's legacy, echoing the 1999 World Cup walkout.

In the longer term, it exposes cricket's vulnerability to Indo-Pakistani fault lines, with calls for a dedicated bilateral code of conduct. As Naqvi doubles down, the ICC faces a test of its neutrality—uphold the referee, or bend to preserve participation? In a sport where handshakes symbolise reconciliation, this snub serves as a stark reminder that some rivalries run deeper than boundaries.