On September 16, 2025, Pakistani captain Salman Agha attends a practice session at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Academy in Dubai ahead of their Asia Cup 2025 Twenty20 international cricket match against the United Arab Emirates. — AFP
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday cancelled the pre-match press conference of the Pakistan-United Arab Emirates (UAE) men’s Asia Cup match as the crisis from the fallout of the Pakistan-India match worsened.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had filed a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) against match referee Andy Pycroft for allegedly violating "Spirit of Cricket" rules. The PCB claimed that Pycroft had instructed the Pakistan and India captains "not to shake hands at the time of the toss" for the match on Sunday.
The Asian Cricket Council issued a statement on Tuesday in advance of Pakistan's match against the UAE tomorrow, confirming that "Pakistan will not be holding their pre-match press conference today.
" The PCB confirmed in a statement later in the day that the board had still not taken a final decision on continuing participation in the Asia Cup.
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The Pakistan Cricket Board has not yet taken any final decision regarding the Asia Cup, “PCB spokesperson Amir Mir said in a statement.
He also said that discussions are taking place about this, and a final decision will be made by tomorrow (Wednesday). Mir stated, "The decision will be made with Pakistan's interests in mind.
" Received earlier confirmation from representatives of the UAE Cricket Board and the PCB that the press conference had been canceled.
Pakistan men’s team media manager Syed Naeem Ahmed had confirmed to Dawn.com separately that the team would still hold their practice session today.
Indian media outlets claimed earlier in the day, citing “unnamed sources”, that the ICC had dismissed the PCB’s complaint seeking the removal of match referee Pycroft from the ongoing Asia Cup over the official’s conduct violation in Pakistan’s match against India.
Cricbuzz, a news source for Indian cricket, stated, "When contacted, the PCB has denied receiving any communication from the ICC." The PCB is yet to issue an official statement on the alleged development.
Pakistan team manager Naveed Akram Cheema had expressed his concerns to the match referee and tournament director Andy Russel regarding the Indian team's behavior, Pyroft's own actions at the toss, and the umpires' role in permitting the Indians to leave the field without a handshake following the match.
A PCB source, requesting anonymity, told on Monday that Cheema had also approached tournament director Andy Russel with his concerns, upon which he was informed that the match referee had been acting at the behest of the BCCI.
This compelled the PCB to write to the ICC for the withdrawal of Pycroft from the match officials’ roster for the ongoing
Asia Cup.
The PCB official had said that the board is contemplating the withdrawal of Pakistan teams from the Asia Cup if Pycroft continues to officiate the Asia Cup matches. And, the PCB seems prepared for the extreme measure, as Naqvi tweeted on Monday: “There is nothing more important to me than the honour and prestige of my country.”
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has chosen Pycroft and Richie Richardson as the tournament's match referees. He is slated to officiate Pakistan’s next game on Wednesday, against the UAE.
Pyrcoft had also officiated Pakistan’s first game of the tournament against Oman.
Pakistan were expected to beat the home side in Dubai tomorrow, and they would have faced neighbours India again on Sunday in the Super 4 round of the Asia Cup.
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