Fact check: Did match referee Andy Pycroft apologise to Pakistan cricket team?

Pakistan withdrew their threat of pulling out from the Asia Cup ahead of the match against UAE on Wednesday. In what was a dramatic day in Dubai, Pakistan team stayed put in the hotel, awaiting further instructions from the Pakistan Cricket Board office in Lahore. After causing an hour's delay, Pakistan team took the field only after it received an "apology" from match referee Andy Pycroft.

As per the Pakistan Cricket Board, Zimbabwe's Pycroft tendered an "apology for miscommunication" during India-Pakistan last Sunday in which Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with his counterpart Salman Ali Agha as a gesture of solidarity with the victims of Pahalgam terrorist attack.



In the aftermath, PCB lodged two separate complaints with the ICC demanding the removal of Pycroft but the global body rejected both. As PCB threatened to withdraw, refused to leave the team hotel and created chaos, they took a U-turn after negotiations with the ICC and later a meeting with Pycroft.

Did Andy Pycroft apologise to Pakistan team?

ICC stood its ground and reiterated that Pycroft is not guilty of any code of conduct violation. (Video grab)

In a social media post, PCB said, "ICC's controversial match referee Andy Pycroft has apologised to the manager and captain of the Pakistani cricket team.

"Andy Pycroft had prohibited the captains of both teams from shaking hands during the India-Pakistan match.

"The Pakistan Cricket Board had strongly reacted to Andy Pycroft's action.

"Andy Pycroft termed the incident on September 14 as a result of miscommunication and apologised.

"The ICC has expressed its readiness to investigate the violation of the Code of Conduct during the match on September 14."

FACT CHECK: No, Andy Pycroft did not "apologise" to Pakistan as PCB has claimed. As Pycroft, Salman Ali Agha, team manager Naveed Akram Cheema, coach Mike Hesson convened in the match referee's room at the Dubai International Stadium, upon the Zimbabwean official's insistence, the objective was to clear any possible miscommunication.

"There was no question of any apology. Especially from someone who did no wrong," said a well-placed source to TimesofIndia.com.

It must be highlighted here that the video shared by PCB of the meeting in Dubai has all the individuals concerned by the audio has been muted.

ICC has maintained that Pycroft has followed the code of conduct fully and asserted to the PCB that officials cannot be changed as per the demands of a team as it would set a precedent. With no solution going their way, Pakistan relented and played the match against UAE with Pycroft as the match referee.

Catch Lovlina Borgohain's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 5. Watch Here