LAHORE: It took an apology by match referee Andy Pycroft for Pakistan to show up for their Asia Cup match against the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday following the country’s cricket board’s protest over the handshake controversy that emerged after their clash against archrivals India four days ago.

The resolution of the issue, however, came late enough for the match’s start to be delayed by an hour, with the Pakistan squad waiting at the team hotel for a green light by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi before it was eventually given.

Minutes before the first ball was bowled at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, the PCB released a statement and a mute video -- showing Pycroft in conversation with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha and team manager Naveed Akram Cheema.

The PCB claimed the Zimbabwean official was apologising to Salman and Hesson in the video for conveying to the captain at the toss before the India fixture on Sunday that the Suryakumar Yadav-led side won’t carry out handshakes before or after the match.

“The ICC’s match referee, Andy Pycroft, has apologised to the manager and captain of the Pakistan cricket team,” the PCB said in the statement. “Andy Pycroft had barred the captains of India and Pakistan from shaking hands during their match. The Pakistan Cricket Board had strongly reacted to Andy Pycroft’s actions.

“Andy Pycroft termed the September 14 incident a result of miscommunication and apologised. The ICC has expressed its willingness to conduct an inquiry into the code of conduct violation that occurred during the September 14 match.”

The ICC was yet to speak on the matter until late on Wednesday.

The PCB had indirectly threatened a pullout of the national team from the Asia Cup after the India match, demanding from ICC in writing to remove Pycroft from the tournament’s officials’ panel, arguing the match referee had breached ICC rules.

According to the PCB, the ICC took action against Pycroft only 15 minutes after the scheduled time of the UAE match, drawing an apology from him, but still allowing the former cricketer to carry on his duties as match referee.

The decision was made in an emergency meeting that started earlier in the day, due to which the match’s start was delayed as confirmed to reporters by PCB spokesperson Amir Mir at the venue.

PCB chief Mohsin, meanwhile, was consulting with his predecessors Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi over the issue here at the Gaddafi Stadium. The trio later spoke to the media. No questions were entertained, however.

“After consulting with all, the PCB has decided that the national team will play the today’s match against UAE,” Mohsin said. “A crisis had started after the Indo-Pak match and we had an objection over the conduct of the match-referee, but now he has tendered an apology to the Pakistan team manager and captain,” he said.

Mohsin said that the PCB had requested the ICC that “cricket and politics could not go side by side”, adding that he hoped the global governing body of the sport would look to work on the issue.

The PCB chairman was pointing towards India skipper Suryakumar’s comments after the match against Pakistan, in which he brought up the recent terror incident in Pahalgam.

The PCB chairman expressed hope the Pakistan team would perform well in the remaining matches of the Asia Cup after the seven-wicket drubbing at the hands of India on Sunday.

Mohsin said the PCB had an effective system of selection and the performance of the national team would be examined after the Asia Cup.

Meanwhile, Ramiz said that it was good that Pakistan did not take “emotional decision” of boycotting the Asia Cup, raising questions over Suryakumar’s post-match talk.

Sethi, meanwhile, reiterated Mohsin’s stance that politics should not be mixed with cricket. The seasoned journalist added it was the same stance he had adopted as PCB chairman in the past.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2025