PCB suspends top official over Asia Cup handshake row

Dubai: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director of International Cricket Usman Wahla has been suspended for failing to send a crucial letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) on time.

Wahla’s removal comes amid growing uproar over the controversial “handshake snub” during the high-stakes India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 clash in Dubai, where India cruised to a seven-wicket win, Geo TV reported.

According to report, Wahla was tasked with forwarding the PCB’s formal complaint to the ICC and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) against match referee Andy Pycroft who was accused of instructing both captains to skip the customary prematch handshake. The delay reportedly angered PCB leadership and led to his suspension.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), publicly blasted the incident as “a clear lack of sportsmanship” in a series of posts on X.

“The PCB has lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding the match referee’s violation of the ICC Code of Conduct and MCC laws. We have demanded the immediate removal of Andy Pycroft from the Asia Cup,” Naqvi wrote on his X account.

He stressed that “nothing is more important than the honour and prestige of my country.”

The PCB’s letter accused Pycroft of undermining the spirit of cricket and breaching the ICC Code of Conduct, noting that “no handshakes were exchanged before or after the match,” which it said violated long-standing traditions.