Pakistan Bans Match Referee at Centre of Asia Cup Controversy

ISLAMABAD: Andy Pycroft, perhaps the most infamous figure in cricket at the moment, will not be allowed to enter Pakistan following his role in the scandal that erupted after the Pakistan-India match at the 2025 Asia Cup.

The Zimbabwean official served as the match referee and allegedly instructed Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha to refrain from shaking hands with Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav, reportedly on orders from the Indian government. The Indian team also failed to acknowledge their Pakistani counterparts after the match.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has already initiated action against Andy Pycroft, reportedly threatening to boycott the tournament if he remains on the officials’ roster for the remainder of the Asia Cup. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), has led the protest, demanding Pycroft’s removal. Naqvi accused the match referee of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct and undermining the MCC’s long-standing cricketing traditions.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Interior Ministry, which is also overseen by Chairman Naqvi, has reportedly barred Andy Pycroft from entering the country, according to journalist Qadir Khawaja.

The 69-year-old was scheduled to officiate as match referee during the upcoming Pakistan vs South Africa series but will no longer be permitted to travel to Pakistan. The PCB is expected to request an alternative official from the ICC.

Read more: PCB suspends official after handshake row at Asia Cup match.

The Interior Ministry’s decision to ban Pycroft underscores how the controversy has escalated beyond cricket, drawing direct involvement from the government. With Pakistan continuing to threaten a boycott of the Asia Cup unless corrective action is taken, the row has intensified tensions ahead of the next chapter in cricket’s most heated rivalry.