Desk Report:
In the India-Pakistan match, more dust is flying than the game. There is not much fighting on the field. But other incidents do create discussion and noise. The Lanka scandal occurred because Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah did not shake hands with Pakistani cricketers in this year’s Asia Cup.
Match referee Andy Pycroft became the ‘scapegoat’ in the Lanka scandal surrounding the match between the two arch-rivals. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) even demanded his removal. Although the PCB’s demand was not accepted by the ICC. In such a situation, Pakistan also threatened to boycott the Asia Cup. Because of this, the Pakistan-UAE match in Dubai yesterday was supposed to start at 8:30 pm Bangladesh time, but it started an hour late. Pakistan agreed to play mainly after Pycroft apologized.
When Pakistan was in doubt about playing the match against the United Arab Emirates, Ramiz Raja held a press conference at the PCB headquarters. The Pakistani cricket analyst told reporters, “One thing I have always seen is that Andy Pycroft is very dear to the Indian cricket team. It is as if he has become the designated match referee for India. He has refereed more than 90 matches for India. It has become a one-sided thing. Such shameless incidents should never be allowed to happen. This is a neutral platform. Hopefully, everything will be fine in the future.”
Suryakumar had said at the award ceremony after the victory against Pakistan in Dubai on September 14 that this victory was dedicated to the Indian armed forces. Sury repeated the same thing in the press conference. Suryakkar had mentioned that the Indian cricketers did not shake hands with Salman Ali Agha and Shaheen Shah Afridi mainly to show respect for the victims of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. The Indian captain had mentioned this in Dubai that this decision (not to shake hands with the Pakistanis) was taken in consultation with the Indian government and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Ramiz also objected to Suryakumar’s remarks that day. The Pakistani cricket analyst told reporters at the PCB headquarters yesterday, “My biggest objection is to what Suryakumar Yadav said at the post-match award ceremony. It is a very complicated matter. If an apology is sought, then it is fine. If cricket becomes a political arena, then nothing good can be achieved.”
Pycroft was the match referee in the India-Pakistan match in Dubai on September 14. The PCB had alleged that Pycroft had prevented Salman from shaking hands with Suryakumar during the toss that day. However, the ICC dismissed the PCB’s allegations as baseless. If Pakistan had not played yesterday, the Emirates would have gotten a walkover and advanced to the Super Four. In the end, Pakistan won this life-or-death match by 41 runs and advanced to the Super Four. The PCB has alleged against Pycroft, the ICC match referee who has been in charge of the match since 2009. Pycroft has officiated 536 matches in international cricket so far. He was also the match referee in the Pakistan-UAE match.
