Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director of International Cricket Usman Wahla has been suspended after failing to send a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) on time, sources revealed on Monday.
Wahla was removed from his post after he failed to promptly forward an official letter concerning the Asia Cup handshake controversy, which has sparked heated debate across the cricketing world.
The sources added that the delay in response caused frustration within the PCB leadership, ultimately leading to his suspension.
The decision comes in the wake of the PCB’s formal complaint to the ICC and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), demanding the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft from the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.
It follows escalating tensions after Pakistan’s high-profile clash against India in Dubai, where India secured a seven-wicket victory.
The dispute arose at the toss, where both captains skipped the traditional handshake — an omission reportedly instructed by Pycroft.
In a series of post on X, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the current Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president, expressed outrage over the Indian team’s actions having the “lack of sportsmanship”.
“The PCB has lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding the match referee’s violation of the ICC Code of Conduct and MCC laws. The match referee took action against the spirit of cricket. We have demanded the immediate removal of Andy Pycroft from the Asia Cup,” Naqvi wrote in a post on X earlier today.
Naqvi, in another post, said: “There is nothing more important to me than the honor and prestige of my country.”
In its letter, the PCB argued that the referee’s decision undermined the spirit of cricket and contravened the MCC’s long-standing laws.
“No handshakes were exchanged before or after the match, which is a direct violation of the game’s traditions,” the letter read. It further alleged that Pycroft had “failed to fulfil his responsibilities as match referee” and breached the ICC Code of Conduct.
Tensions rose further after India’s victory on Sunday. While Indian players celebrated and walked off to the dressing room, they did not engage in the customary handshake with the Pakistani team, who had lined up in anticipation.
The snub left Pakistan’s players visibly disappointed, leading skipper Salman Ali Agha to boycott the post-match presentation ceremony in protest.
The controversy intensified when PCB media manager Naveed Akram Cheema raised the matter with Tournament Director Andrew Russell.
At first, Russell claimed the instructions had been issued by the Indian cricket board, but later clarified that the directive had, in fact, come from the Indian government.
