Pakistan take the field against UAE amid exit reports
What's the story
Pakistan are playing against UAE in the 2025 Men's T20 Asia Cup. The match is being held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. It was earlier reported that Pakistan had requested that the match be postponed by an hour pending further talks with the ICC revolving around match referee Andy Pycroft. Several reports also claimed that Pakistan are pulling out of the tournament. However, the match is set to start at 9:00pm IST as Pycroft us the match referee for this clash.
ICC
ICC probe clears Pycroft after handshake controversy
As per Cricbuzz, the ICC told PCB that it cannot remove match referee Pycroft from the panel of match referees for the Asia Cup. The report adds that the ICC felt there was no wrongdoing on the part of the match referee. An own inquiry was conducted and it came to light that Pycroft had discreetly advised Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha to avoid handshakes at the toss. The ICC also felt Pycroft had not violated any match protocols.
Withdrawal threat
PCB had threatened to withdraw from tournament
Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board had asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to expel match referee Pycroft. The PCB wrote a second letter to the ICC reiterating its demand, but the world body was believed to be unprepared to set a precedent by changing a match official under pressure. The move came after Pakistan's loss to India, a match that also saw a handshake controversy. The PCB accused Pycroft of favoring India during this clash on September 14.
Match preview
Pakistan's position in Group A before UAE contest
Pakistan have won one and lost one of their two matches in the tournament before the match against UAE. They are second on the table with two points, ahead of UAE on net run rate. Pakistan had started the tournament by beating Oman. Thereafter, they suffered a heavy defeat against India. The match against UAE is their third and final game in the group.
PCB
ICC had rejected PCB's formal protest against Pycroft
Earlier, the PCB lodged a formal protest against Pycroft, demanding his removal from all Pakistan matches in the tournament. The board alleged that he violated ICC rules and regulations during the match. However, the global governing body initially rejected these claims. The response was notably signed by ICC general manager Waseem Khan, a former CEO of PCB, which further complicated matters behind closed doors.
Mediation attempts
Mediation from UAE board officials
As the threat of Pakistan's withdrawal loomed, senior officials from the UAE board intervened to mediate between the ICC and PCB. They reportedly highlighted that with tickets sold and sponsors/broadcasters already on board, the situation could turn problematic for all stakeholders involved. This mediation was instrumental in finding a middle ground where Pycroft would remain in the tournament but not officiate Wednesday's game between Pakistan and UAE.
Compromise
Was Pycroft was set to be replaced by Richie Richardson?
After a day of speculation and closed-door negotiations, a "middle-of-the-road" solution was finally reached. As part of the agreement, Richie Richardson was said to officiate Pakistan's upcoming game against UAE. This decision was seen as a face-saver for PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan's interior minister. Earlier in the day, Naqvi was reportedly in a meeting with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif but officials insisted that their discussion had nothing to do with cricket.
Timeline
Here's the timeline from September 14-16
September 14: Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha refused to do a post-match presentation after India's refusal to shake hands. September 15: Pakistan team manager Naveed Cheema lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding match referee Pycroft as PCB demanded an immediate removal of the Match Referee Andy Pycroft. September 16: ICC rejected PCB's demand to replace Pycroft. PCB also threatened to not take the field if Pycroft kept his place as match referee. Pakistan also canceled their scheduled pre-match media conference. PCB also wrote a second letter to the ICC.
Information
What happened on Setpember 17?
September 17: The Pakistan cricket team bus started after some delay from the hotel. The match was delayed by an hour. Thereafter, it was learnt that ICC informed PCB of its probe and cleared Pycroft. The Pakistan players arrived at the stadium with the match going ahead.