Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday that the country’s honour had been preserved after ICC match referee Andy Pycroft apologised to the team following a controversy over a pre-match handshake.
Addressing the media in Lahore, Naqvi said Pycroft had apologised to the Pakistan captain and team manager, admitting the incident “should not have happened.”
The PCB has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to investigate alleged violations during the Sept. 14 match against India.
“Cricket and politics cannot go side by side. The game should remain above all this,” Naqvi said, adding that he had consulted former chairmen Najam Sethi and Ramiz Raja, while the prime minister and senior officials also supported the board’s position.
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Sethi echoed that “politics must not enter sport,” while Raja called the outcome “a victory for Pakistan.” He added, “Whatever emotions were hurt, now the team must respond with its performance. Cricket should remain cricket, not a political platform.”
Raja also accused Pycroft of being a “fixed referee for India,” noting he had officiated in around 90 of India’s matches.
The row erupted after Pakistan alleged Pycroft stopped their player Agha Salman from a customary handshake during the toss against India, prompting protests and calls for his removal. Pycroft later called the incident a miscommunication.
The cricket board also released a video capturing the moment of Pycroft’s apology.
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