Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan and eminent commentator Harsha Bhogle gave cheeky reactions to the Pakistan team’s U-turn in the recent Asia Cup 2025. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had threatened to boycott their Group A game against UAE unless ICC removed match referee Andy Pycroft from the match and made him apologize.
This came after PCB blamed Pycroft for instructing Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha not to shake hands with India captain Suryakumar Yadav during the India v Pakistan game in Dubai on Sunday, September 14.
Later, Indian players refused to shake hands with Pakistanis after winning the game by 7 wickets, and as a result, Salman Agha boycotted the post-match presentation.
PCB sent a letter and an email to ICC, making their demands of removing Andy Pycroft from Pakistan’s match against the UAE and making him apologize. If that didn’t happen, PCB threatened to boycott the game. However, ICC refused to entertain PCB’s pleas both times.
The Pakistan team didn’t leave the team hotel for their game against the UAE until the match time, while PCB and ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi consulted with former PCB chiefs Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi. In case Pakistan had boycotted the match, they wouldn’t have gotten their share from the Asia Cup 2025 revenue, around USD 16 million, and the ICC might have sanctioned them.
Eventually, Andy Pycroft visited the Pakistani camp, and PCB claimed that he apologized to Captain Salman Agha and the team manager, and Pakistan agreed to play the game.
As a result of Pakistan’s U-turn from threatening to boycott the game to getting ready to play, with Pycroft as match referee, the Men in Green were heavily trolled on social media.
This included former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan, who posted: “Apke paas option hi Nahi hai choose karne ka…”
Even commentator Harsha Bhogle stated that it was a lesson for everyone to never make threats unless you can follow up.
“The lesson for all of us is that you must never issue an ultimatum you cannot enforce. It makes you look weak,” Bhogle posted.
