PCB Director Suspended Over Delayed Response to Handshake Row

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director of International Cricket Usman Wahla has been suspended after he failed to send an official letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) on time, sources told on Monday.

According to insiders, Wahla was removed from his post for not promptly forwarding the PCB’s complaint concerning the Asia Cup handshake controversy, a delay that reportedly caused frustration within the board’s top leadership.

The suspension comes as the PCB has lodged a formal protest with both the ICC and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), demanding the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft from the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.

The row stems from Pakistan’s high-profile clash against India in Dubai, where the two captains skipped the traditional pre-match handshake — a move reportedly instructed by Pycroft. The match ended in a seven-wicket victory for India.

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PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), condemned the incident in a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter. “The PCB has lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding the match referee’s violation of the ICC Code of Conduct and MCC laws. The match referee took action against the spirit of cricket. We have demanded the immediate removal of Andy Pycroft from the Asia Cup,” Naqvi wrote.

He further described the Indian team’s behaviour as a “lack of sportsmanship,” adding that politics should not be allowed to spill onto the cricket field.