Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director of Worldwide Cricket Usman Wahla has been suspended after failing to ship a letter to the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) on time, sources revealed on Monday.
Wahla was faraway from his publish after he didn’t promptly ahead an official letter in regards to the Asia Cup handshake controversy, which has sparked heated debate throughout the cricketing world.
The sources added that the delay in response induced frustration throughout the PCB management, finally resulting in his suspension.
The choice comes within the wake of the PCB’s formal criticism to the ICC and the Marylebone Cricket Membership (MCC), demanding the removing of match referee Andy Pycroft from the continued Asia Cup 2025.
It follows escalating tensions after Pakistan’s high-profile conflict in opposition to India in Dubai, the place India secured a seven-wicket victory.
The dispute arose on the toss, the place each captains skipped the normal handshake — an omission reportedly instructed by Pycroft.
In a collection of publish on X, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who can also be the present Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president, expressed outrage over the Indian crew’s actions having the “lack of sportsmanship”.
“The PCB has lodged a criticism with the ICC relating to the match referee’s violation of the ICC Code of Conduct and MCC legal guidelines. The match referee took motion in opposition to the spirit of cricket. We have now demanded the fast removing of Andy Pycroft from the Asia Cup,” Naqvi wrote in a publish on X earlier right this moment.
Naqvi, in one other publish, mentioned: “There may be nothing extra vital to me than the respect and status of my nation.”
In its letter, the PCB argued that the referee’s resolution undermined the spirit of cricket and contravened the MCC’s long-standing legal guidelines.
“No handshakes have been exchanged earlier than or after the match, which is a direct violation of the sport’s traditions,” the letter learn. It additional alleged that Pycroft had “didn’t fulfil his obligations as match referee” and breached the ICC Code of Conduct.
Tensions rose additional after India’s victory on Sunday. Whereas Indian gamers celebrated and walked off to the dressing room, they didn’t have interaction within the customary handshake with the Pakistani crew, who had lined up in anticipation.
The snub left Pakistan’s gamers visibly dissatisfied, main skipper Salman Ali Agha to boycott the post-match presentation ceremony in protest.
The controversy intensified when PCB media supervisor Naveed Akram Cheema raised the matter with Event Director Andrew Russell.
At first, Russell claimed the directions had been issued by the Indian cricket board, however later clarified that the directive had, actually, come from the Indian authorities.
