The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) did a volte-face on its threat to pull out of their Asia Cup match against the UAE on Wednesday after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected its demand to replace match referee Andy Pycroft. Pakistan practised in Dubai on Tuesday evening and are likely to continue playing in the tournament.

The PCB had questioned Pycroft’s impartiality and demanded that he be removed from the roster since he had asked Pakistan captain Salman Agha to avoid shaking hands with India captain Suryakumar Yadav at the toss on Sunday.

The Telegraph had reported on Tuesday that the ICC was set to turn down their call for replacing the match referee, citing “lack of sufficient ground”.

While the PCB had maintained a strong stance of not playing until their demands were met, it petered out soon after the ICC decision was made known to them on Tuesday.

The PCB’s sudden U-turn left everyone perplexed with intense speculation — ranging from possible monetary sanctions for failing to meet obligations to failing to provide adequate evidence in support of their claims — on the possible reasons behind it.

Besides losing a substantial amount of the purse, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), would have had to bear the brunt of the official broadcasters’ wrath.

The email sent to the PCB from the office of ICC general manager Wasim Khan, who had earlier served as PCB chief executive, said that Pycroft had acted upon instructions conveyed to him by the ACC officials on the ground before the start of Sunday’s group league match.

The PCB felt that the match referee’s action violated the MCC Laws, and accused Pycroft of breaching the ICC’s code of conduct.

The ICC has not commented on whether Pycroft did instruct the captains not to shake hands. However, it is standard ICC practice to not comment on matters involving match officials.

Pakistan practised at the ICC Academy in Dubai on Tuesday evening but
cancelled a scheduled news conference to avoid questions on their widely reported
threat of a pullout. A pullout would have resulted in
Pakistan’s ouster from the tournament with India and the UAE advancing to the Super 4 from Group A.

There was no reaction from the PCB right through the day, though reports suggested that the brass was engaged in multiple meetings at their headquarters in Lahore. The Pakistani media even reported that the PCB was waiting for the government’s nod before taking the next course of action.

The ICC has no role to play in the Asia Cup, organised by the ACC, but the match officials are allocated by the world governing body. Withdrawing a match referee and appointing a replacement remains its sole prerogative.

Pycroft is one of two match referees at the tournament, Richie Richardson being
the other.

India captain Suryakumar had said after the match that the Indian “government and the BCCI were aligned” on the matter following the players and support staff’s refusal to shake hands with the Pakistan side, an unwritten custom after a contest.

Salman subsequently skipped the post-match presentation as a fallout, and Pakistan coach Mike Hesson described India’s decision as “disappointing”.

While Pakistan accused India of “dragging politics into the game” and lacking “sportsmanship”, Surya said that a “few things in life were ahead of sportsman’s spirit”.

If Pakistan make it to the Super 4, they will again play India on September 21. There is also the possibility of the two sides meeting in the final.

The Pycroft issue will crop up again and it remains to be seen if Pakistan renews its demand to remove him from the roster.