ICC takes disciplinary action against PCB after viral referee apology clip:Andy Pycroft breaks silence on handshake row

The ICC emailed the PCB four hours ago, citing violations that occurred during Pakistan’s 41-run victory over the UAE in Dubai.

According to an ICC source via ANI, the PCB allowed media manager Naeem Gillani to film a private meeting between Pycroft, head coach Mike Hesson, and captain Salman Ali Agha inside the stadium—directly contravening PMOA regulations. Despite repeated warnings, the PCB posted the footage on its official social channels with a statement claiming Pycroft had apologised to Agha and team manager Naveed Akram Cheema. The ICC emphasised that Pycroft’s apology addressed only a miscommunication and confirmed his innocence after a preliminary review.

In a separate development, Andy Pycroft has spoken out for the first time since the controversial India–Pakistan handshake incident. ESPN Cricinfo reports that before the Asia Cup toss, the ACC venue manager—acting on a BCCI request—informed Pycroft that India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav would not shake hands with Salman Ali Agha. Pycroft relayed this information to Pakistan just four minutes before the toss.

The handshake saga erupted after India’s seven-wicket win over Pakistan, when India declined the customary post-match handshake in protest against recent terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Pakistan skipped the presentation ceremony and lodged a complaint against Pycroft to the ICC, even threatening to withdraw from the Asia Cup and risk losing an estimated ₹140 crore in revenue. However, after ICC’s refusal to act on the complaint, Pakistan eventually took the field an hour late.

As the Asia Cup Super Four stage intensifies, ICC’s probe into PCB’s PMOA breaches and the resolution of the handshake controversy will be closely watched by cricket fans worldwide.