Ashwin Defends Match Referee Pycroft Amid India-Pakistan Handshake Controversy
A former spinner says Pycroft was just doing his job, not enforcing handshakes.
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has staunchly defended match referee Andy Pycroft against Pakistan’s criticism over a post-match handshake controversy during the Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025, stating the Zimbabwean official is “not a schoolteacher” and was merely doing his job. The dispute arose after India, as a policy decision, skipped handshakes with Pakistan following their Group A match on September 14, where India chased 128 in 15.5 overs for a seven-wicket win. The issue escalated when Pakistan’s captain Salman Ali Agha also declined a handshake at the toss, prompting the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to demand Pycroft’s removal from the tournament.
The PCB sent two emails to the International Cricket Council (ICC), first requesting Pycroft’s ouster from the Asia Cup and then his exclusion from Pakistan’s matches, alleging he violated the ‘Spirit of the Game’ code. The ICC rejected both demands, backing their Elite Panel referee and clarifying that Pycroft relayed the Asian Cricket Council’s venue manager’s instructions with limited time before the match.
A meeting between Pycroft and Pakistan’s team—captain Agha, coach Mike Hesson, and manager Naveed Akram Cheema—followed, where the PCB claimed Pycroft “regretted the miscommunication.” The ICC, however, denied he apologised, accusing Pakistan of breaching ‘Players and Match Officials Area’ protocols, a charge the PCB refuted.
Speaking on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat on September 21, Ashwin dismissed Pakistan’s complaints, noting India had informed Pycroft in advance of their no-handshake stance. “Andy Pycroft actually saved everybody from seeing such a poor spectacle,” he said, adding, “He’s not a principal. He can’t force Suryakumar to shake hands.” Ashwin, 39, questioned the PCB’s demand for an apology, saying, “If I were Pycroft, you would be apologising to me. What would I even be apologising for?” He emphasised that India’s players followed their board’s directive, and Pakistan’s focus on the issue was misplaced after their loss.
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The ICC has reaffirmed its confidence in Pycroft by assigning him as match referee for the India-Pakistan Super 4s clash on September 21 in Dubai, hosted by the UAE. India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, enters unbeaten, while Pakistan, under Hesson and supported by motivational speaker Dr Raheel Karim, seeks to overturn their poor record of 11 losses in 14 T20Is against India. With 50,000 fans expected, the match’s intensity is heightened by the ongoing off-field drama, but the ICC’s stance signals no tolerance for undermining officiating protocols
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