After much back-and-forth, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has withdrawn its pullout threat and will field the team in its last Asia Cup group league game against UAE in Dubai on Wednesday.
PCB sources told news agency PTI that a “middle-of-the-road” agreement was reached under which match referee Andy Pycroft will not be officiating matches involving Pakistan with Richie Richardson being summoned to do duty in their must-win fixture.
What’s the controversy?
The PCB had asked for the removal of Pycroft from the tournament citing violation of ICC rules and regulations.
Pakistan’s plea came after their loss in Sunday’s match against India, when the Indian players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts as a mark of respect to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed.
On Tuesday, the International Cricket Council (ICC ) officially rejected the PCB’s demand to remove match referee Andy Pycroft from the panel of officials for the Asia Cup 2025.
Incidentally, the rejection letter that the PCB received from the ICC was signed by its general manager Waseem Khan, who was formerly the beleaguered cricket board’s CEO.
Richie Richardson, referee Andy Pycroft, Asia Cup 2025
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