Pakistan’s cricket team management has cancelled their pre-match press conference before the upcoming Super Four Asia Cup clash with India. The move comes amidst escalating tensions surrounding the refusal of India's captain, Suryakumar Yadav, to shake hands with Pakistan players at the toss in an earlier match, and calls by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to remove match referee Andy Pycroft from duty.
Pakistan requested that Andy Pycroft, a member of the ICC’s Elite Panel of Match Referees, be taken off the roster for their matches in this Asia Cup, citing dissatisfaction over how he handled the no‑handshake incident at the toss.
India did not comply with the standard post‑toss handshake protocol, which triggered protest from the Pakistan side. Pakistan raised the issue formally with the ICC via two emails asking for Pycroft’s removal, a request which the ICC denied, reaffirming their support for Elite Panel referees and established tournament norms.
The ICC responded that Pycroft did not breach the “Spirit of the Game”. They explained that he was conveying directives from the Venue Manager of the Asian Cricket Council, as there were only minutes before the match began. The ICC also said that while Pycroft regretted a “miscommunication”, he did not apologize, and accused the PCB of breaking protocol related to areas designated for players and match officials. PCB, however, denied these allegations.
With these tensions unresolved, Pakistan’s management decided to avoid further media questioning by cancelling the press conference ahead of the India match.
