Mohsin Naqvi Set For A Shocker, ICC To Reject Complaint Against Andy Pycroft: Report | Cricket News

PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi (AFP Photo)

Pakistan may fall on its face again. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is in no mood to take any action against match referee Andy Pycroft on the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) demand. Agitated over no handshake with India after the 7-wicket loss, Pakistan complained to the governing body, asking to sack the Zimbabwean official. But the noise seems to end soon.

According to Cricbuzz, the ICC is unlikely to accept PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s request. In fact, the governing body has not yet given an official reply to their demand to remove Andy Pycroft as match referee for the Asia Cup. However, the website was awaiting clarity on whether the ICC has formally responded to Naqvi’s mail.

The report further stated that the common view within the ICC is that Pycroft played just a small role in the handshake issue. All he may have done was pass on a message to the Pakistan captain to avoid a situation where one captain refused to shake hands with the other at the toss.

The PCB was unhappy with India’s stance, but handshakes are not compulsory under cricket’s rules. Even the MCC’s guidelines say that players are encouraged to shake hands and thank each other after the match, but it is not mandatory. The ICC is likely to explain this point in its reply to PCB.

Meanwhile, the situation has added some uncertainty to the Asia Cup, as Pakistan has reportedly threatened to boycott its next game against the UAE on September 17 if Pycroft continues as referee.

Naqvi, who is both PCB chairman and ACC president, said on social media that India’s refusal to shake hands violated the spirit of cricket and that the PCB had demanded Pycroft’s immediate removal. However, the ICC, which appoints referees in coordination with the ACC, is unlikely to take the demand seriously.

Interestingly, despite mentioning the “Spirit of Cricket,” the PCB has not formally written to the MCC, the guardians of the game’s laws. The MCC makes it clear that while handshakes are encouraged, they are not a legal requirement.