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"Four Minutes Before,": Shocking Details Revealed Around IND Vs PAK Asia Cup Match

Rajgeeta Yadav

India vs Pakistan during the toss time [Source: AFP]India vs Pakistan during the toss time [Source: AFP]

The recent “handshake-gate” at the Asia Cup has put Pakistan and the ICC on a collision course, with match referee Andy Pycroft caught in the middle of the controversy. Pakistan accused Pycroft of allowing their players to be snubbed after the India-Pakistan game on September 14, claiming his actions went against the Spirit of Cricket and the ICC Code of Conduct. 

The PCB filed several complaints and even threatened to boycott matches unless Pycroft was removed from their games.

However, the ICC cleared Pycroft of any wrongdoing, and new details show that he may have actually prevented an even bigger embarrassment for Pakistan captain Salman Agha. 

According to ESPN reports, just four minutes before the toss in the India-Pakistan clash, Pycroft was informed by the venue manager that the Indian players would not be shaking hands with their opponents. This decision had been made by the BCCI with approval from the Indian government.

With almost no time to consult the ICC or formally inform the PCB, Pycroft quickly told Salman Agha about the situation. His warning meant that Agha did not reach out for a handshake with India captain Suryakumar Yadav, only to be ignored in front of millions of viewers. 

While the PCB argued that Pycroft should have handled things differently, the ICC accepted that he acted within his authority and under unusual circumstances.

Pycroft Aplogized To Pakistan

The drama carried over into Pakistan’s next match against the UAE, where the team initially refused to take the field if Pycroft continued as referee. The game was delayed by an hour while officials held an emergency meeting to resolve the issue. 

The PCB later claimed Pycroft had apologised to the team, though sources say he simply expressed regret over the misunderstanding.

The ICC reminded the PCB that the appointment of referees is its sole responsibility and cannot be influenced by member boards. 

In the end, Pakistan had little choice but to play, since a boycott would have meant automatic elimination from the tournament. Their victory over the UAE has now set up another high-stakes clash with India on September 21 at the Dubai International Stadium.