The ICC has criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for recording a meeting between match referee Andy Pycroft and Pakistan team officials ahead of their Asia Cup match against the UAE on September 17 in Dubai.
According to PTI, ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta sent a strongly-worded email to the PCB, calling the use of a mobile phone to film the discussion a breach of Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA) protocol. Present at the meeting were Pakistan captain Salman Agha, head coach Mike Hesson, manager Naveed Akram Cheema, media manager Naeem Gillani, and ICC’s Wasim Khan.
Gillani was told mobile phones were prohibited under anti-corruption rules, but the PCB insisted on filming, threatening to pull out of the match. A compromise allowed recording without audio.
Gupta labeled the PCB’s actions as misconduct and cited “multiple violations” of protocol. The meeting was arranged after controversy over India’s Suryakumar Yadav declining to shake hands with Agha during a previous match. Pycroft clarified he was only relaying instructions, not issuing them.
Despite this, the PCB wrongly claimed he had apologized. The ICC later cleared Pycroft of any wrongdoing after an internal inquiry.
