Former India spinner R Ashwin came down hard on Pakistan for unfairly blaming match referee Andy Pycroft from Zimbabwe after the recent Asia Cup 2025 Group A game between India and Pakistan on Sunday, September 14, in Dubai.
At the toss, India captain Suryakumar Yadav didn’t shake hands with Pakistan captain Salman Agha. After India defeated Pakistan by 7 wickets, the Indian team players refused to shake hands with the Pakistani players and even closed the doors of their dressing room.
Pakistan made a huge scene about the same and squarely blamed match referee Andy Pycroft. They accused him of not notifying the Pakistan captain and management of India’s intentions not to shake hands.
They wanted the ICC to remove Pycroft from officiating duties in the Asia Cup, with two of their demands being rejected by the ICC. Pakistan boycotted the pre-game presser against the UAE and threatened not to play the game against the UAE. They did so with a delay, after claiming Pycroft had apologized to them after having a talk with them.
ICC explained that Pycroft didn’t apologize to Pakistan management but just expressed regret for the miscommunication, revealing that he was given minutes ' notice for the same.
Ashwin blasted the Pakistani side for insisting that Pycroft be eliminated from the competition, saying that they were making unnecessary drama out of a simple cricketing ruling.
“Andy Pycroft actually saved everybody from seeing such a poor spectacle. India informed the match referee in advance—this is our decision, and we will follow it. That’s it. After all this drama, you lost the match. So what are you complaining about? You didn’t lose because we didn’t shake hands. Please go and find out what you can actually improve,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, ‘Ash Ki Baat.’
“If no handshake was your problem with India, why were you looking for an answer to that problem in the UAE game? Why did you have to make Andy Pycroft the scapegoat? He has done nothing wrong,” Ashwin said, being baffled at Pycroft being targeted.
Mocking the notion that Pycroft should have taken disciplinary action, Ashwin added, “He is not a schoolteacher. He’s not a principal. He can’t go and bring Surya and say, ‘Come shake hands.’ That’s not his job. What exactly is Pycroft’s fault here?”
The Indian off-spinner pointed out that the players were simply following a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), a position he likened to obeying organizational instructions in any professional setting.
“Whether it’s a corporate office, a government firm, or a cricket team—when there’s an organizational directive, you follow it. Our players were clear: they were here to represent India, and they followed protocol. The cricketers also communicated their stance—they said, ‘We don’t want to shake hands.’ That’s our side of the story. The matter should end there,” he added.
Ashwin was particularly scathing about Pakistan’s demand for an apology from Pycroft, flipping the narrative entirely.
“You filed a complaint against India, and when the dust settles, you’re saying Pycroft apologized? If I were Andy Pycroft, you would be apologizing to me. What would I even be apologizing for? ‘I’m sorry that Suryakumar Yadav didn’t shake your hand.’ Really? That’s the apology you expect?” he concluded.
He concluded by suggesting that it is Pakistan, not Pycroft, who owes an apology.
