The Asia Cup match between the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan was delayed by an hour after the Pakistan team initially refused to leave their hotel. The players were reportedly upset over not receiving a handshake in their previous match against India and held referee Andy Pycroft responsible for not addressing the matter. Pakistan lodged a formal complaint with the ICC, demanding an apology from the referee. The ICC responded firmly, instructing Pakistan to play the match or risk withdrawing from the tournament.
Andy Pycroft said – "Fake news has been circulated that I apologized to Pakistan's manager and captain. The talk was only for $16M Fine and Sanctions. PCB agreed to Play after listening $16M Fine".
What's your take on this 🤔pic.twitter.com/kLUNuCAhtT
— Richard Kettleborough (@RichKettle07) September 18, 2025
Despite the ICC’s directive, Pakistan delayed their arrival on the field, only agreeing to play after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that referee Andy had apologized. The incident caused the match to start an hour late. In addition, Pakistan breached ICC regulations by posting a video of the referee apologizing and footage of him speaking to a key player on social media.
The PCB was also criticized for attempting to allow media manager Nayeem Gilani into the referee room against instructions. The ICC has confirmed that disciplinary action will follow, though the exact penalties are yet to be announced.