Did Andy Pycroft Apologise To Pakistan? Here's What We Know

Pakistan showed up for a crucial Asia Cup game against the UAE in Dubai on Wednesday but not before causing a delay amid high drama and claiming that it received an "apology" from match referee Andy Pycroft, who was retained by the ICC despite the country's repeated demand for his removal.

Pycroft tendered an "apology for miscommunication" during Pakistan's game against India, in which Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with rival skipper Salman Ali Agha as a gesture of solidarity with the victims of Pahalgam terrorist attack.

Before the Pak vs UAE match on Wednesday, there was intense drama as the Pakistan team refused to leave its hotel after learning that Pycroft will be officiating the match.

Teams are required to report at the stadium two hours before the start of the game, which Pakistan failed to do in protest. The ICC maintained that the Pycroft will remain in charge as he has followed the rules and regulations to the 'T'.

Pycroft was present at the Dubai International Stadium and left the venue surrounded by bodyguards after he was called to the ICC Headquarters just a kilometre away from the ground. The ICC gave a six-point rebuttal to the Pakistan Cricket Board, in which it maintained that the Board's complaints were baseless.

Pakistan had held Pycroft responsible for the embarrassment it faced after Salman and Suryakumar did not exchange a handshake and their team sheets during the toss on Sunday. The PCB alleged that Pycroft had prohibited Salman from shaking hands with Suryakumar and told the two captains to not exchange team sheets.

The Indian players avoided the traditional niceties with the rivals even after the match.

Pakistan lodged two separate complaints with the ICC for the removal of Pycroft but ICC rejected both. The logjam ended after Pycroft 'apologised' to the manager and captain of the Pakistani cricket team for "prohibiting" the handshake at the toss during the India vs Pakistan match on Sept.14.

In response to claims made by PCB, a source in the ICC said the apology was only for the "miscommunication". '...and the ICC will only conduct its investigation when the PCB furnishes further evidence as to who was at fault for this entire mess," the source told news agency PTI.

"The ICC's investigation was conducted based on the information provided in the report lodged by the PCB. We took the report at Face value and note that no supporting documentation or evidence was provided with it."

"The actions that match referee took was, following clear directions to him from ACC (Asian Cricket Council) Venue Manager, were consistent with how a match referee will deal with such an issue, communicated as it was with no time for him to do anything else (minutes before the toss)., ' the ICC said.

The ICC was clear that Pycroft was committed to "preserving the sanctity of the toss and avoiding any potential embarrassment that might have arisen. The ICC said, "the Match Referee was not at fault in any of this. It is not the role of the Match Referee to regulate a team or tournament-specific protocols which have been agreed outside of the area of play, that is a matter for the tournament organisers and relevant team managers."

The ICC high-ranking officials stated that the decision about the handshakes was made by the tournament organiser and others involved in that specific event, not the Match Referee. The ICC concluded that it had no role in the matter. In a nutshell, ICC put the ball back in Naqvi and Tournament Director Andy Russell's court.