ICC Pulls Up PCB For Multiple Violations, Misconduct Over Andy Pycroft Meeting Video

The International Cricket Council has pulled up the Pakistan Cricket Board for multiple violations ahead of their final Group A Asia Cup match against the UAE. The match played on Wednesday, was delayed after the Pakistan team initially refused to take the field in protest over ICC's refusal to remove match referee Andy Pycroft.

The ICC sent an e-mail to the PCB accusing it of 'misconduct' and 'multiple violations' of the Players and Match Officials Area or PMOA protocol. The violations cited included shooting video inside the stadium on match day and posting video on its social media handles, as well as unauthorised filming of a meeting between Pycroft, Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson, and captain Salman Ali Agha.

Despite repeated warnings, the PCB allegedly insisted that its media manager Naeem Gillani to be present for the meeting. Eventually, the media manager was allowed in and recorded the meeting on camera, in what the ICC views as a violation of multiple tournament regulations, as per PTI report.

ICC rules explicitly prohibit media managers from attending such closed-door discussions. "The ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta has written to the PCB stating that the board has been guilty of repeated PMOA violations on match day. PCB is in receipt of the e-mail," a tournament official told PTI.

The controversy stems from the 'handshake fiasco' during last Sunday’s Asia Cup match between India–Pakistan in Dubai. The PCB claimed Pycroft prevented Salman Ali Agha from shaking hands with Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav at the toss. The Pakistan camp alleged bias and demanded Pycroft’s removal from the tournament, even threatening to withdraw if their concerns were not addressed.

The ICC subsequently agreed to a conciliatory meeting before Wednesday’s game to 'eradicate any regrettable misunderstanding' from the India match. However, tensions escalated when PCB insisted on bringing media manager Naeem to the meeting, even though ICC’s Anti-Corruption Manager denied him entry because he carried a mobile phone into the PMOA.

At that point, the PCB allegedly threatened to pull out unless Naeem was allowed to attend. The team further demanded permission to film the conversation—without audio—inside the PMOA, a move the ICC described as a 'further violation' of its regulations.

To avoid disruption to the tournament, the ICC reluctantly conceded, but later criticised the PCB for undermining the sanctity of restricted zones.

The footage from the meeting has since surfaced on social media, fueling speculation about the exchanges that took place.

The world body has also objected to a PCB press release claiming that Pycroft apologised to the Pakistan team. Sources clarified that the referee only expressed regret over a miscommunication, not a formal apology.

In the aftermath, Naeem Gillani was denied entry into another PMOA meeting, where filming and phone usage remain strictly prohibited. The ICC is now expected to review the incident formally, raising questions about whether disciplinary action may follow against the PCB.

(With inputs from PTI)

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