Hindustan Times – Richie Richardson will replace Andy Pycroft as match referee for Pakistan’s Asia Cup game against UAE after PCB’s protest to ICC, according to the board sources.
In a significant development ahead of Pakistan’s must-win Asia Cup group stage clash against the UAE, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) insider confirmed to Indian news agencies (PTI and ANI) that match referee Andy Pycroft will be replaced by Richie Richardson for the fixture, following a compromise reached with the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The decision comes in the wake of a tense standoff between the PCB and the ICC after Sunday’s high-profile match against India. In the aftermath of the game, emotions ran high when Indian players declined to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts, choosing instead to pay silent tribute to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
The PCB, taking exception to certain decisions and conduct in the match, formally demanded Pycroft’s removal from officiating any further Pakistan fixtures in the tournament. Citing violations of ICC rules and regulations, the board lodged a protest which the global governing body initially rejected. The response was notably signed by ICC general manager Waseem Khan, who once served as PCB’s CEO, further complicating the situation behind the scenes.
