Asia Cup 2025 — Naqvi, Raja, Sethi call Pycroft apology a step to keep cricket free from politics

The Asia Cup 2025 clash between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates is finally set to kick off after a tense one-hour delay. Despite Pakistan’s strong objections, Andy Pycroft will remain the match referee, having returned to the stadium after a brief visit to the ICC headquarters. Pycroft has issued an apology to the Pakistan team over the handshake row, which PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and former PCB chiefs Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi described as a step toward keeping cricket free from politics.

 

PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi: “Focus should be on cricket, not politics”

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi emphasized that cricket must remain free from politics, stressing that the game should not be turned into a political platform.

“Our focus should be on cricket, not politics. Sports and politics cannot go hand in hand; let’s keep cricket as a sport only,” Naqvi said, adding that he had consulted former PCB chairmen Najam Sethi and Ramiz Raja before making decisions on the recent Asia Cup controversy.

Naqvi admitted that even considering a boycott was a “big decision” that required wide consultation, but expressed relief that Pakistan’s dignity was preserved in line with public expectations. “Thank God, Pakistan’s respect was protected the way the nation expected. I hope from now on, the focus will remain on cricket and not politics. I have full confidence in my team,” he remarked.

Former PCB chairman Najam Sethi echoed Naqvi’s views, saying: “Our stance has always been that politics should not interfere in sports. This has been our clear position from the start. Cricket has won, and we must continue the game. We accepted the apology in the spirit of sportsmanship.”

Ramiz Raja, meanwhile, called it a victory for Pakistan: “In one sense, today Pakistan has won. The nation should support our players till the end of the tournament. It is good that an inquiry will be conducted, so such political moves will not happen again.”

He further criticized the appointment of controversial referee Andy Pycroft: “Pycroft has officiated around 90 matches involving India. He is specifically assigned to Indo-Pak clashes, and from the beginning, his bias against Pakistan has been evident.”

At the same time, Raja welcomed Pycroft’s apology, saying it was the right step forward: “It is a positive sign that Andy Pycroft apologized. We showed sportsman spirit and accepted it. Cricket has prevailed, not politics. This is Pakistan and cricket’s victory—we did not take an emotional step that could have harmed the sport.”

ICC referee Andy Pycroft apologises to Pakistan team

ICC’s controversial match referee Andy Pycroft has apologised to the Pakistan cricket team’s manager and captain after the recent handshake row.

Pycroft had previously instructed both captains not to shake hands during the high-profile India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 clash, a move that sparked outrage from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

ائی سی سی کے متنازعہ میچ ریفری اینڈی پائی کرافٹ نے پاکستانی کرکٹ ٹیم کے مینجر اور ٹیم کے کپتان سے معذرت کر لی۔

اینڈی پائی کرافٹ نے انڈیا پاکستان کے میچ میں دونوں ٹیموں کے کپتانوں کو مصافحہ کرنے سے منع کیا تھا۔

پاکستان کرکٹ بورڈ نے اینڈی پائی کرافٹ کے اس عمل پر سخت رد عمل کا…

— PCB Media (@TheRealPCBMedia) September 17, 2025

Acknowledging the incident of 14 September, Pycroft termed it a “miscommunication” and expressed regret over the matter.

Meanwhile, the ICC has agreed to initiate an inquiry into the alleged breach of the code of conduct that occurred during the match.

Pycroft to supervise Pakistan vs UAE match

Sources have confirmed that Andy Pycroft will continue as the match referee for the Pakistan vs United Arab Emirates clash.

Richie Richardson is currently in Abu Dhabi and not available to supervise the game, leaving Pycroft in charge despite the ongoing controversy.

In a new twist, the controversial referee Andy Pycroft has returned to the Dubai Stadium, further fueling tensions ahead of the high-voltage encounter.

Pakistan team heads to Dubai Stadium

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has directed the Pakistan cricket team to proceed to the Dubai Stadium. Following his instructions, the team has now departed from their hotel for the venue.

The Pakistan vs UAE clash is scheduled to take place shortly at the Dubai Stadium, though the start has already been delayed by one hour due to the ongoing controversy.

The toss for the Pakistan vs United Arab Emirates match will be held at 8:00 PM, with the game scheduled to begin at 8:30 PM.

We have asked the Pakistan team to depart for the Dubai Cricket Stadium. Further details to follow

— Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) September 17, 2025

Pycroft heads to ICC HQ

In a fresh twist to the ongoing controversy, sources have confirmed that match referee Andy Pycroft has left the Dubai Stadium and moved to the ICC headquarters. His departure has further fueled uncertainty about the Pakistan vs UAE fixture, which was already delayed by one hour.

PCB confirms one-hour delay

According to a PCB spokesperson, the Pakistan vs UAE match has been delayed by one hour. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi is currently holding consultations with former chairmen Najam Sethi and Ramiz Raja, while parallel discussions are also taking place in Dubai.

The spokesperson confirmed that the Pakistan team remains at their hotel in Dubai, while the UAE team is already present at the stadium. Umpires and match referee Andy Pycroft are also inside the stadium, with the referee in his designated room.

Sources indicate that Pakistan is standing firm on its position regarding Pycroft’s removal, as the ICC has reconvened its emergency meeting to address the crisis.

Former PCB chiefs arrive for consultation

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairmen Najam Sethi and Ramiz Raja have arrived at the PCB headquarters.
Both ex-chairmen were invited by current PCB Chairman and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi for consultation on key matters.

Handshake controversy sparks tensions

The controversy began during Pakistan’s Asia Cup 2025 group match against India, when the Indian team refused to shake hands with the Pakistan players and captain both at the toss and at the end of the game.

Allegations against Andy Pycroft

What surprised Pakistan even more was Andy Pycroft allegedly instructing skipper Salman Ali Agha not to shake hands with his Indian counterpart. This later fuelled accusations of collusion between Pycroft and the Indian team.

PCB’s strong response

In response, Pakistan took a firm stand, demanding Andy Pycroft’s removal and warning that they would not participate in further matches of the Asia Cup 2025 tournament unless the referee was changed.

ICC and ACC meeting in Dubai

A crucial meeting between ICC and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) was held earlier in Dubai and has now concluded, but no official decision has been disclosed. PCB Chairman and ACC President Mohsin Naqvi is expected to hold a press conference shortly to address the issue.

Pakistan team held back at hotel

With less than 90 minutes left before the scheduled start, uncertainty looms large. The Pakistan team, which had already reached the hotel lobby to leave for the stadium, was instructed to return to their rooms following the meeting’s conclusion.

The situation has cast serious doubt on whether the Pakistan vs UAE match will go ahead as planned.

India’s reported demand against Naqvi

After the handshake controversy, it appears that India is now pushing to remove Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi from the trophy presentation ceremony.

According to NDTV, India captain Suryakumar Yadav has made a formal request for PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi’s removal from the trophy presentation. This message has also been delivered to the ACC, which has yet to comment on the situation.

Also Read: Asia Cup 2025: PCB ‘writes’ another letter to ICC on match referee controversy