Pakistan seek match referee's removal after India refuse to shake hands

Cricket - Asia Cup - Group A - India v Pakistan - Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates - September 14, 2025 India's Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube celebrate winning the match REUTERS

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson expressed disappointment at India's decision not to shake hands with his team after Sunday's Asia Cup match, which prompted the Pakistan Cricket Board to seek match referee Andy Pycroft's immediate removal.

India won the Group A encounter by seven wickets in the first cricket match between the sides since a four-day military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May.

While the match overseen by Zimbabwean Pycroft passed without incident, there was no shaking of hands between the captains at the toss or among the players at the end.

"We were ready to shake hands at the end of the game, we obviously are disappointed that our opposition didn't do that," Hesson told reporters.

"We sort of went over there to shake hands and they'd already gone into the changing room.

"That was a disappointing way for the match to finish, and a match we were disappointed for the way we played, but we were certainly willing to shake hands."

Pakistan captain Salman Agha did not attend the presentation ceremony, which New Zealander Hesson said was a "follow-on effect" of India's refusal to shake hands.

VICTORY DEDICATED TO ARMED FORCES

India captain Suryakumar Yadav dedicated the victory to their armed forces at the ceremony, and expressed solidarity with the victims of the Aprill 22 attack in Indian Kashmir which triggered the conflict.

"We took a call (on not shaking hands). We came here to just play the game. We have given a proper reply," Suryakumar said in a post-match press conference.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi called it a "lack of sportsmanship" and said they had lodged a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) against Pycroft for a code of conduct "violation."

"The PCB has demanded an immediate removal of the Match Referee from the Asia Cup," Naqvi, Pakistan's Interior Minister and also the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), wrote on X on Monday.

The Asia Cup is the flagship tournament of the ACC.

The ICC did not immediately respond to an email from Reuters inquiring about its next course of action.

Bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan has been suspended since 2013 and the arch-rivals play each other only in multi-team tournaments.

Sunday's match went ahead despite calls in India for the team to boycott it.

India could face Pakistan twice more at the tournament, including in the September 28 final should the teams getthat far.