Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was supported by Andy Pycroft’s referee in the middle of the Pakistanian cricket council criticism after Handshake’s controversy in Asia 2025 during the previous meeting between India and Pakistan.
Pycroft, he was in charge of the group’s clash, where men in a blue decision as a political decision decided to shake their hands after the match. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav also did not follow the usual convention in throwing, which further stimulated the debate.
PCB in response sent two separate e -Maily to the ICC First ask for removal of pycroft From the tournament and later he seeks his exclusion from Pakistani games. Both applications were firmly rejected by the global cricket body.
Ashwin defended Pycroft on his channel YouTube Ash Ki Baat and said that the referee was doing only his work.
“Andy Pycroft actually saved everyone from seeing such a bad spectacle. India reported the referee in advance – this is our decision and we will follow. That’s all. After all this drama you lost the match. So what are you complaining about?”
He also rejected the idea that Pycroft was supposed to force players to shake their hands.
“She’s not a teacher. She’s not a director. She can’t go and bring Surya and say,” Come to shake hands “. That’s not his job. What exactly is Pycroft’s mistake here?”
ICC explained that Pycroft did not break the “spirit of the game” and only passed on what the Asian cricket manager gave, with a limited time before the start of the match.
A meeting was arranged between the Pycroft and Pakistan team management – Captain Salman Ali Agha, head coach Mike Hesson and manager NAVEED AKRAM Cheema – where PCB claimed that the referee “regretted incorrect communication”. Ashwin, however, questioned the need for such requirements.
“If I were Andy Pycroft, you apologize to me.
Despite the repeated objections from Pakistan ICC again named Pycrofta as a referee for Sunday’s high voltage Super 4 clash between India and Pakistan, which signaled the obligation of the ruling body to its elite panel and its rejection to determine the precedent removal of the former Zimbabwe.
Ashwin’s comments are underlined by a wider sentiment in Indian cricket circles, Pycroft acted professionally, while the discussion was more of an administrative and political pressures than any referee failure.
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Published:
Amar Pancker
Published on:
September 21, 2025
