The Pakistan Cricket Board demanded the removal of match referee Andy Pyrcroft following Team India's refusal to shake hands. The PCB has accused Pycroft of violating the ICC Code of Conduct and the MCC’s Spirit of Cricket guidelines

A Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official broke his silence on the 'No Handshake' controversy, which occurred after India registered an emphatic 7-wicket win over Pakistan on September 14. After winning the match, the Team India players went inside the dressing room, with Pakistan players still standing on the field.

The BCCI official, while speaking to PTI on condition of anonymity, said, "Look, if you read the rule book, there is no specification about shaking hands with the opposition. It is a goodwill gesture and a sort of convention not law that is followed globally across the sporting spectrum."

He added, "If there is no law, then the Indian cricket team is not bound to shake hands with an opposition with whom there is a history of strained relationship."

PCB demands the removal of Andy Pycroft

The Pakistan Cricket Board demanded the removal of match referee Andy Pyrcroft following team India's refusal to shake hands. The PCB has accused Pycroft of violating the ICC Code of Conduct and the MCC’s Spirit of Cricket guidelines, stating in an official complaint that his actions enabled what they see as unsportsmanlike behaviour from the Indian team.

Pycroft in his response on social media blamed Pakistan players for having a history of bringing disrepute to the game of cricket while naming former and current cricketers. He wrote, "I stand by every decision that I took yesterday. Pakistan players have had a history of bringing disrepute to the game of cricket be it Hafeez and Ajmal in past (reported for chucking by me) or the current bunch of players like Faheem and Abrar. "

Will ICC remove Pycroft from Asia Cup 2025?

However, reports suggest that ICC is unlikely to remove Pycroft due to the lack of merit, especially since shaking hands is not a mandatory act under ICC or MCC regulations. It is generally considered a gesture of goodwill, but not a rule-bound requirement.