After several rounds of negotiation, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to withdraw its threat of pulling out and will go ahead with its final Asia Cup group stage match against the UAE in Dubai on Wednesday. According to PCB officials quoted by PTI, a compromise was reached in which match referee Andy Pycroft will no longer oversee Pakistan’s fixtures. Instead, Richie Richardson has been assigned to officiate their crucial must-win game.

 

The PCB had demanded Pycroft’s removal from the tournament, alleging that he had failed to uphold ICC rules and regulations. This request came after Pakistan’s defeat to India on Sunday, when Indian players chose not to shake hands with their rivals. The gesture was intended as a tribute to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.

 

That match, which ended in a seven-wicket victory for India, was the first clash between the two nations since their brief but violent border confrontation in May. In cricket, shaking hands before and after a match is a long-established tradition. However, following India’s emphatic win, the players declined to continue with the practice. Pakistan responded by skipping the post-match presentation ceremony.

 

The incident escalated into a controversy when the PCB lodged an official complaint against Pycroft, accusing him of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct as well as the MCC laws regarding the spirit of the game. The board even warned of withdrawing from the competition if corrective action was not taken.