ICC rejects Pak demand for Pycroft removal; Pak leave for UAE clash after delay

Dubai: Pakistan's cricket team finally headed to the stadium for its must-win Asia Cup group match against the UAE here on Wednesday after causing a dramatic delay to protest ICC's persistent rejection of the country's demand to have Andy Pycroft removed as match referee.

"The team has left for the stadium, the match will be delayed by an hour," Tournament sources told PTI.

Pakistan had held Pycroft responsible for the embarrassment it faced after Indian players refused to shake hands following their match on Sunday as a gesture of solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.

"Pycroft will remain match referee for Wednesday's game and if Pakistan don't turn up, UAE will be awarded full points," sources had said earlier.

A PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) source had earlier stated that the players were instructed "to stay in their rooms and wait for further instructions." The UAE team has already arrived at the stadium.

According to the PCB, the 69-year-old Pycroft, who is a former Zimbabwe cricketer, had told its national captain Salman Ali Agha to refrain from shaking hands with his Indian counterpart Suryakumar Yadav.

The Pakistani team management also alleged that Pycroft did not allow the customary exchange of team-sheets between the two captains.

"This misconduct violates Article 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Match Officials, which specifically makes it an offence for the Match Referee to conduct himself in a manner, which is contrary to the spirit of game and violates the MCC Laws," the PCB alleged in its first letter of complaint to the ICC.

"Given the gravity, political nature/background, and far-reaching consequences and repercussions, the misconduct has also caused disrepute to the game," it had stated.

The ICC rejected these accusations and maintained the same position even when a second letter was sent by the PCB.

According to sources in the ICC and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), Pycroft had no role in the fiasco and "in fact saved Pakistan from being blind-sided by informing them about what the Indians were planning to do."