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PCB Denies ICC Rule Violation; Fires Back With Latest Response On Asia Cup Controversy

Debashis Sarangi

Pakistan's Asia Cup match created controversy [Source: AFP]Pakistan's Asia Cup match created controversy [Source: AFP]

In a significant development, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has responded to the email by ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta, denying any violation of the protocols ahead of the Asia Cup encounter against UAE. Interestingly, the PCB has explained how the Pakistan team manager's entry into the Players and Match Officials Area (PMAO) was well within the rules, asking the ICC to question match referee Andy Pycroft for his negligence. 

PCB Replies To ICC Email With Another Explanation

After captain Suryakumar Yadav and the entire Indian team opted against performing the customary handshake after their Asia Cup match against Pakistan, the PCB accused match referee Andy Pycroft of not maintaining a neutral stance and allying with their Indian counterparts. 

Although neither the Indian team nor the referee violated any of the ICC Code of Conduct, the PCB asked its players to remain inside their team hotel instead of turning up at Dubai International Stadium for their final group-stage match against the United Arab Emirates. 

Amid the tensions of a potential boycott, the Pakistan team finally agreed to play when Pycroft himself had a discussion with their leadership group, including Mike Hesson and captain Agha Salman. While the ICC prohibits the entry of media managers into the PMAO, the PCB filmed the conversation and uploaded its muted version on its social media platforms, claiming that Pycroft's apology convinced them to play the match. 

As it panned out, the ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta emailed the Pakistan Cricket Board, demanding an explanation for allowing their media manager into space reserved only for the players and officials. However, in the latest turn of events, the Pakistan Board has stated that its media manager had authorised access to the PMOA, meaning his presence in the meeting wasn't a violation. 

In fact, as reported by RevSportz, the PCB has even stated that if it violated the protocol, the match referee should've reported it to the ACU official rather than bringing in the ICC into the action. 

Later, TOI disclosed that the ACU official, that the PCB talked about, objected the act of taking phone into the PMOA and recording the conversation, as the ICC mentioned in its email. The report further added that it was the PCB who threatened to boycott the UAE clash if they weren't allowed to take the phone and film the inside details of the meeting. 

As things stand, the Pakistan Cricket Board is in loggerheads with the ICC, which, interestingly, is being governed by two Indians, CEO Sanjog Gupta and chairman Jay Shah. So, the matter is expected to take multiple twists and turns, with the India-Pakistan Super Four game coming up.