PCB Chief Explains โคDecision to โคContinue in Asia Cup Despiteโข Dispute, cites Prime Minister’s โSupport
pakistan continued its participation in the Asia Cup afterโฃ considering โขaโค potential โboycott following concerns over the role of match referee Andy Pycroft, PCB management committee chairman Zaka Ashraf revealed on Wednesday. The decision came after discussionsโ with former PCBโ chairmen Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi, and with the backing of Pakistan Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif and other government officials.
The situation arose after the match between Pakistan and the UAE was delayed by one hour, during which Naqvi was involved in discussions regarding a possible boycott – a move that would have resulted in Pakistan’s elimination fromโ the tournament. Naqvi emphasized the gravity of the decision,stating,”theโค boycott was a very big decision,and the situation was being monitored.”
Ashraf explained โthat the PCB had raised objections regarding Pycroft’s role and had requested the ICC โขto investigate a code violation during the match,โฃ specifically referencing the lack of handshakes between the teams. He stated โthat Pycroftโ had since apologized for the incident, saying, “Just a short while back, the match referee had a conversation with โฃthe team coach, captain andโค manager. Heโ saeid thatโ this โฃincident (no handshakes) should not have โคhappened.”
He further underscored the PCB’s stance on keeping politics separate from sports, saying,โ “We beleive โthat politics and โขsports can’tโ go together.This โis sports, and let it remain a sport. Cricket โshouldโ be separate from all โขthis.”
A voluntary withdrawal from the Asia Cup would have resulted in significant financialโฃ losses for โtheโ PCB, perhapsโฃ including compensation claims fromโ broadcasters.
Najam Sethi, also present at the press conference, reiterated the PCB’s long-held positionโข against mixing politics and sport. He also claimed the international community had reacted negatively to โขstatements made by India captainโ Suryakumar Yadav,โ who โdedicatedโข India’s seven-wicket win to the Indian Armed โขForces โขfollowing the Pahalgamโ terror attack.
“PCB’s objective has always been that there shouldโ be no politics inโ sportโฆ Theyโ played โฃpolitics, we didn’t,” Sethi said. “We demanded an apology, and they have given the apology. โCricket is the winner. The world will support our stand, and you are all seeing the world’s reaction to India’s stand.”
Following the match, the Indian team declined customary post-matchโค greetings, closing the dressing room door when approachedโข by โฃthe Pakistan team. The โฃinitial dispute stemmed from the lackโ of handshakes after the previous contest between the โคtwo nations.