The Asia Cup controversy after the India Pakistan match has taken a new twist as Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior has banned Andy Pycroft from working as a match referee because of what happened during the India vs Pakistan game at the Asia Cup 2025. The issue? A no handshake situation.
Apparently, India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav didn’t shake hands with Pakistan’s captain Salman Ali Agha before the game at the coin toss and after the game ended. Right after Yadav hit the winning shot, he and Shivam Dube went back to the locker room without shaking hands with the other team.
The Pakistan team was left waiting on the field for the handshake that never came. Neither the Indian players nor their coaches came out to meet them. Because of this, Pakistan’s captain Salman Agha didn’t show up for the post game presentation.
The PCB didn’t take this lightly and has taken action against the match referee Andy Pycroft. Mohsin Naqvi who heads the PCB and is also in charge of the Asian Cricket Council wanted Pycroft to be removed from the Asia Cup right away.
Before all this, the PCB said Andy Pycroft told the captains not to shake hands when they met for the coin toss.
Naqvi tweeted that the PCB complained to the ICC saying the Match Referee didn’t follow ICC rules and the Spirit of Cricket rules. He also said the PCB wants the referee removed from the Asia Cup immediately.
Now it seems the ICC might stir things up with Pakistan. As it stands Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior has banned Andy Pycroft from entering the country. Interestingly Naqvi is in charge of this ministry too.
Pycroft was supposed to be one of the officials for the series between Pakistan and South Africa in October. But with this ban he won’t be able to go to Pakistan for the series.
