Salman Agha skipped the post-match presentation ceremony in protest, following the incident.
ICC Rejects Pakistan's Demand To Remove Match Referee Andy Pycroft, After Handshake Row News: The International Cricket Council has rejected Pakistan's demand to remove match referee Andy Pycroft from the upcoming Asia Cup matches, India Today reported.
According to the report, which cited sources, the ICC was not going to entertain Pakistan’s demands after Indian team members chose not to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts when they faced each other in the tournament.
The ICC reportedly conveyed the decision to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after investigating the matter.
The report, further citing sources, said that some of the Asian Cricket Council officials, including the PCB director, knew in advance that there would be no handshake between the two captains.
The PCB had lodged formal protests against the Indian players and match referee Pycroft.
The PCB, in its letter, had stated that referee Pycroft suggested Pakistan captain Salman Agha not shake hands with Suryakumar Yadav.
The PCB, in its letter, further stated that Indian players violated Code of Conduct rules for refusing to shake hands with the opposition team.
The Pakistan Cricket Board, in the letter to the ICC, clearly mentioned that if referee Andy Pycroft is not removed, the board would withdraw the team from the tournament.
Pakistan’s next match is scheduled for tomorrow against the UAE.
On Sunday, September 14, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav refused to greet his counterpart Salman Agha at the toss at the 2025 Asia Cup, and the Indian team refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts at the end of the game. India had defeated Pakistan by seven wickets.
Salman Agha skipped the post-match presentation ceremony in protest, following the incident.
After the win, in a post on X, Suryakumar Yadav said, “This win is dedicated to the armed forces of India and the victims of the Pahalgam attack.”
However, Pakistan PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi, in a post on X, said, “Utterly disappointing to witness the lack of sportsmanship today. Dragging politics into the game goes against the very spirit of sports. Let’s hope future victories are celebrated by all teams with grace.”
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