Asia Cup 2025: ICC rejects Pakistan’s demand to remove referee Andy Pycroft

An Indian cricket website has claimed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has turned down Pakistan’s request to remove match referee Andy Pycroft from the Pakistan vs India game.

According to the report, the ICC informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) about its decision last night.

Earlier, Pakistan had asked the ICC to remove Pycroft from the Asia Cup after the recent handshake controversy. Pakistan argued that the referee acted under India’s influence.

However, the website stated that the ICC rejected this claim. The ICC explained that the decision regarding the handshake was made on the instructions of a member of the Asian Cricket Council present at the ground, not by the referee himself.

It is important to note that Pakistan has taken a strict stance on this issue. Reports say the PCB has even warned that the team may not play further Asia Cup matches if the referee is not changed.

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