The PCB has sent another letter to the ICC requesting that the Zimbabwean be replaced with Richie Richardson for the team's remaining games, even though Pakistan has backed off from their threat to withdraw from the Asia Cup. They still object to the match referee, Andy Pycroft.

According to PTI, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent the ICC another email late Tuesday night, reiterating their demand that Pycroft be excluded from all of their matches. However, the international body is yet to comply. Pycroft is scheduled to officiate Pakistan's crucial match versus the United Arab Emirates this evening.

The PCB accused Andy Pycroft of being responsible for the no-handshake incident, claiming that he instructed Pakistan captain Salman Agha not to shake hands with India captain Suryakumar Yadav after the toss and also prevented the two captains from exchanging team sheets as is customary.

Then Suryakumar Yadav and co. didn’t shake hands with the Pakistani players after beating them by 7 wickets, and Yadav mentioned the Pahalgam terrorist attack victims and dedicated the win to the Indian armed forces in his post-game speech.

Following the charges, the PCB formally demanded Pycroft's removal and threatened to pull out of the tournament, but the plea was denied by the ICC.

In addition to losing over USD 16 million if they follow through on the threat, Pakistan's cricket board, which is led by Mohsin Naqvi, the current leader of the Asian Cricket Council, will suffer greatly.

According to a PCB source cited by Pakistan's top daily, "Dawn," Naveed Akram Cheema, the director of the Pakistani squad, was informed that Pycroft was acting at the BCCI's request.

"A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) source, requesting anonymity, told Dawn.com on Monday that Cheema had also approached tournament director Andy Russell with his concerns, upon which he was informed that the match referee had been acting at the behest of the BCCI," the report stated.

Pakistan needs to defeat the UAE today to make it into the Super 4s stage, while India has already qualified for the same.

(PTI inputs)