The International Cricket Council has officially rejected PCB’s demand to replace match referee Andy Pycroft according to Cricbuzz. The ‘No-Handshake’ controversy started when India won by seven wickets against Pakistan and both Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube went straight back without shaking hands with the players in opposition.
According to Pakistan head coach, Mike Hesson, he and skipper Salman Ali Agha waited near the Indian area for a handshake but no body turned up. This left many former Pakistan cricketers, management and Pakistan Cricket Board furious following which Salman Ali Agha did not turn up for the post-match presentation.
The controversy escalated when PCB lodged a protest to ICC and urged for removal of match referee Andy Pycroft who had asked Saman Ali Agha not to approach Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav for a handshake. He communicated the decision passed onto him by the ACC officials. According to ICC, the match referee was acting as per the instructions he received on behalf of the Indian team.
India won by the seven wickets in Group stage match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium but before the match the tensions were rising as many people demanded complete boycott. But as soon as the match was over, first India refused to shake hands with the Pakistan side and then dedicated their win to the victims of Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 26 innocent people.
Former Pakistan cricketers like Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar have come forward and expressed their displeasure over the whole incident, questioning India’s actions. They even appreciated Salman Agha’s absence from the post-match presentation.
