PCB protests Team India's handshake snub

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday demanded that Andy Pycroft, the match referee for Sunday's game against India, be removed from the Asia Cup, accusing the Zimbabwe official of violating the "spirit of cricket" by asking both captains to not shake hands, even as India skipper Suryakumar Yadav clarified it was his team's call.

- Rasesh Mandani

The PCB's contention is that Pycroft at the toss before the match asked both captains not to follow the norm of shaking hands after the flip of the coin. It alleged that Pycroft, the former Zimbabwe international, did this at the Indian team's behest.

"The PCB has lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding violations by the Match Referee of the ICC Code of Conduct and the MCC Laws pertaining to the Spirit of Cricket. The PCB has demanded an immediate removal of the Match Referee from the Asia Cup," Mohsin Naqvi, PCB chairman said in a social media post. Naqvi, the Pakistan interior minister, is also the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president.

The PCB has claimed that Pycroft "asked (Pakistan) captain Salman Ali Agha, at the time of the toss, not to shake hands with his Indian counterpart".