ICC referee Andy Pycroft to once again officiate Pak-India Super Four clash
Cricket
The match is scheduled to be played on Sunday, September 21 in Dubai
DUBAI (Dunya News) - The high-octane Pak-India Asia Cup clash will once again be officiated by controversial match referee Andy Pycroft tomorrow (Sunday).
The match is scheduled to be played on Sunday, September 21 in Dubai.
It is worth noting that during the group stage match on September 14, India had comfortably defeated Pakistan.
The match, however, became the center of controversy when both team captains refrained from shaking hands at the toss.
Later, Pakistan’s head coach revealed that match referee Andy Pycroft had advised Pakistan captain Salman Agha not to shake hands with the Indian skipper, a move that sparked strong criticism and protest from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Also Read: Pakistan and India meet again at Asia Cup after handshake row
The PCB lodged a formal complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC), demanding that Pycroft be removed from officiating future matches.
The board even went as far as threatening to boycott their next game against the UAE.
Following the backlash, Andy Pycroft apologised to the Pakistan captain, after which the team proceeded to play the match against UAE — which was also officiated by Pycroft.
Ahead of the much-anticipated Super Four match, the Pakistan team cancelled its pre-match press conference and has reportedly hired a sports psychologist to help players with mental preparation.
