The uncertainty over Pakistan's continuation in the Asia Cup seems to have been cleared after some midnight oil was burnt over the Andy Pycroft issue. After the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over the replaceement of match referee Andy Pycroft, a key demand of the PCB, a middle ground appears to have been reached with a significant role played by the intervention of the boards of the UAE and Oman.
While the ICC's refusal to recall Pycroft remained unchanged, the authorities are believed to have taken the Zimbabwean off the roster for Wednesday's game between Pakistan and the UAE. Sources say Richie Richardson, the other ICC referee on the panel, is believed to have been brought in for the knockout game with Pycroft continuing to be a match official in the tournament. The arrangement, though, is yet to be officially confirmed.
Some face-saving changes were necessitated after the PCB took the extreme position of a pullout if Pycroft remained among the officials of Wednesday's match alleging the match official had sided with India during the September 14 clash between the arch-rivals.
The situation escalated after the ICC rejected the PCB demand. When a potential pullout by the Pakistan team from the tournament appeared to be looming, officials of the Oman and UAE boards are believed to have intervened to resolve the situation. Cricbuzz has reached out to officials.
There has not been an official communication from the PCB or the ICC so far but the Pakistan board said it will be put out on Wednesday. "Consultations are underway in this regard, and a final decision will be made by tomorrow. The decision will be taken keeping Pakistan's interest in mind," PCB spokesperson Amir Mir said late on Tuesday night.
The PCB were to hold a meeting late on Tuesday night once its chief, Mohsin Naqvi, returned to Lahore from Islamabad, where he had gone to consult with the government on the team's further participation in the tournament.
As a minister in the Pakistan government, Naqvi's visit to Islamabad should have been a routine one, but it is learnt that this visit was to discuss the handshake controversy, its implications and the standoff with the ICC over Pycroft, who was the designated match referee for Wednesday's game.
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