ICC pulls up PCB over Andy Pycroft row, mulling action for multiple violations and misconduct

The ICC is mulling motion against Pakistan for “violation of multiple tournament rules” previous to their Asia Cup match towards the UAE that was delayed by the crew to protest the world physique’s rejection of its demand to remove match referee Andy Pycroft.

The ICC has shot off an e-mail to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) citing “misconduct” and “a number of violations” of the Gamers and Match Officers Space (PMOA) protocol earlier than the sport held on Wednesday (September 17, 2025).

“The ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta has written to the PCB stating that the board has been responsible of repeated PMOA violations on match day. PCB is in receipt of the e-mail,” a event supply advised PTI.

It’s learnt that regardless of a number of warnings, Pakistan breached the principles by permitting media supervisor Naeem Gillani to movie a gathering between Pycroft, its head coach Mike Hesson and captain Salman Ali Agha earlier than the toss.

The ICC had made it clear that media managers have been barred from such conferences.

The crew had initially refused to depart its resort after holding Pycroft responsible for the ‘no handshake’ fiasco within the recreation towards India, inflicting Wednesday’s match to be delayed by an hour.

The PCB alleged that Pycroft, on the time of toss on Sunday, prohibited Salman from shaking hands with his Indian counterpart Suryakumar Yadav, who made it clear that the pleasantries have been prevented as a gesture of solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam terror assault.

ICC agreed with PCB that so as to assist resolve the matter associated to the India recreation, Pycroft would meet the crew captain and supervisor earlier than the toss of yesterday’s match.

“The aim was to eradicate any regrettable misunderstanding or miscommunication which can have arisen on the time of the toss [of the India match],” the event supply mentioned.

“PCB dropped at the assembly their media supervisor and insisted that he be current in the course of the dialog,” he added.

Naeem was refused entry by the ICC Anti-Corruption Supervisor as a result of “he needed to take his cell phone into the PMOA”.

The supply that at that time, the PCB threatened to “withdraw” from the match if the media supervisor was not allowed to attend after which insisted on filming [without audio] the dialog, which was a “additional violation of the PMOA rules.”

“The ICC, so as to protect the curiosity of the game, the event and the stakeholders concerned accepted PCB’s asks though this demonstrated an entire disregard for the sanctity of the PMOA, the place the assembly passed off,” the supply mentioned.

The ICC was additionally not made conscious of how PCB deliberate to make use of the filmed footage. The quick clip has been circulating on social media with numerous speculations on what may need been mentioned in the course of the meet.

The world physique has additionally taken exception to a PCB media launch that claimed Pycroft had “apologised”, when the truth is he had merely expressed remorse over a miscommunication.

PCB media supervisor Naeem was denied entry right into a subsequent assembly contained in the PMOA, the place filming is strictly prohibited.