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A fresh detail has emerged amid the ongoing no-handshake controversy at the 2025 Asia Cup, revealing the scale of PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi’s anger. According to a PTI report, Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Director of Cricket Operations, Usman Walha, faced Naqvi’s wrath on Monday for failing to handle the situation in Dubai when India and Pakistan faced off in their Group A match. It was reportedly Naqvi who ordered Walha’s sacking.
India and Pakistan players did not engage in handshakes before and after the match on Sunday at the Dubai International Stadium. Pakistan team manager later filed a complaint with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) alleging that match referee Andy Pycroft had urged the two captains not to shake hands at the toss. The Zimbabwean was accused of violating the Spirit of Cricket, with PCB later writing to the ICC demanding his suspension from the tournament. The board even threatened that they would reconsider Pakistan’s participation in the Asia Cup if Pycroft is not replaced.
The PTI report revealed that the entire drama surrounding the no-handshake episode happened due to Walha, who did not inform Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha about the rules and regulations that would be followed during the tournament in the UAE.
The report added that in the wake of the incident, an irate Naqvi, who is also the head of the ACC, ordered Walha’s sacking on Monday “for the embarrassment caused to the national cricket team and its captain.”
The report added that it was Walha’s duty to tell Salman about the “No Handshake” policy, but he failed and Salman “was apparently caught unawares by the turn of events.”
“Walha should have released a statement at the toss itself when the two captains didn’t shake hands. Naqvi apparently was furious as he handled it poorly,” a PCB source said.
ICC rejected PCB’s plea on Tuesday. While Pakistan was expected to address the matter in the pre-match presser for their final Group A game against the UAE on Tuesday evening, the team management cancelled it.
The Pakistan players later dropped by the training ground at the ICC Academy in Dubai, dropping a hint that they might continue their participation, but PTI reported that top officials from the PCB continue to wait for the green signal from Islamabad.
The report also added that PCB is trying to work out a solution by which Pycroft doesn’t officiate in their matches. One proposal given was to have Richie Richardson stand in for the match against the UAE on Wednesday in Dubai.
