ICC Pulls Up PCB Over Rule Breaches Before UAE Clash

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reprimanded the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for violating tournament protocols ahead of their final Asia Cup 2025 Group A match against the UAE at the Dubai International Stadium. The match began after a long delay following PCB's protest against match referee Andy Pycroft, linked to the recent India-Pakistan handshake controversy.

PCB's Protest and Threat

PCB accused Pycroft of triggering the handshake row and demanded his suspension from the tournament. When ICC refused, PCB escalated matters by threatening to withdraw from the Asia Cup. On the eve of the UAE clash, they sent another protest letter, while Pakistan players were instructed to remain at their hotel instead of reporting to the stadium.

A meeting chaired by PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, with former heads Najam Sethi and Ramiz Raja in attendance, stretched for over an hour and delayed the game. Eventually, Pakistan agreed to play, though the board claimed on social media that Pycroft had apologised - a version ICC later denied.

Video Leak Sparks New Row

Soon after, PCB released a video showing Pycroft in discussion with captain Salman Ali Agha, team manager Naved Akram Cheema, and coach Mike Hesson. With no audio, the video left room for speculation. According to ICC sources, it was filmed by PCB's media manager Naeem Gillani, in violation of Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA) rules.

The ICC, in an email, accused PCB of "multiple violations" on match day, citing misconduct and disregard for warnings. The breach deepened when Gillani allegedly tried to enter Pycroft's room with his mobile phone, which is barred under anti-corruption guidelines.

A Fragile Compromise

To defuse the crisis and prevent Pakistan from boycotting the match, ICC conceded to one final demand: Pycroft would meet Pakistan's captain and manager before the toss. But ICC clarified later that Pycroft had only expressed regret over miscommunication, not issued any apology as PCB suggested.