The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) responded to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) email late on Thursday night, stating that the team’s media manager had authorised access to the Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA), and that his presence in the meeting with match referee Andy Pycroft was not a violation.
The PCB further requested that, if standard operating procedures (SOPs) were not followed, the ICC should ask the match referee whether he reported the matter to the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) official.
The ICC’s Chief Executive, Sanjog Gupta, had written to the PCB on Thursday, pointing out repeated violations of the PMOA code. These included the recording of a conversation involving coach Mike Hesson, captain Salman Ali Agha, and manager Naveed Akram Cheema.
The apex cricket council also raised concerns over a PCB press release which claimed that match referee Pycroft had apologised. It clarified that Pycroft had not issued an apology, but had merely expressed regret regarding a misunderstanding involving an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) venue manager.
It all began when Suryakumar Yadav declined to shake hands with his counterpart, Salman during the India-Pakistan game on September 14. Following this, the PCB lodged a complaint with the ICC, alleging that the match referee had breached protocols related to the Spirit of the Game, and requested his removal either from the tournament entirely or, at the very least, from Pakistan’s matches. The ICC, however, supported the match referee and declined the PCB’s request.
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