Grandmaster R Vaishali secured her spot in the Women’s Candidates tournament 2026 by winning the Women’s Grand Swiss in Samarkand, a remarkable comeback after a disastrous performance in Chennai. Her brother, GM Praggnanandhaa, and her family played a crucial role in convincing her to participate, before fate intervened.
Amidst controversy, ICC match referee Andy Pycroft may be replaced for the Pakistan-UAE match following PCB’s complaint regarding his conduct during the India game, which led to a “no-handshake” issue. The PCB demanded Pycroft’s removal from the Asia Cup, threatening to pull out of the tournament.
Pakistan’s Asia Cup 2025 campaign faces turmoil as they cancelled a pre-match press conference before their crucial game against UAE, escalating tensions after threatening to withdraw from the tournament over a handshake controversy involving India.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is unlikely to withdraw from the Asia Cup 2025, despite rising tensions over the role of match referee Andy Pycroft during Pakistan’s match against India in Dubai on Sunday. Match referee Pycroft had asked Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha and Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav to skip the customary handshake at…
The ICC rejected PCB’s request to replace match referee Andy Pycroft during the Asia Cup after Pakistan alleged he instructed their captain to avoid handshakes with India’s captain. The ICC clarified that ACC officials informed Pycroft about the no-handshake policy.
Following India’s Asia Cup victory over Pakistan, the PCB has demanded the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft, alleging he violated the spirit of cricket. This stems from the Indian team’s refusal to shake hands, a gesture captain Suryakumar Yadav dedicated to victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.
India dominated Pakistan in the Asia Cup clash on Sunday, securing a 7-wicket victory. Suryakumar Yadav dedicated the win to the armed forces and Pahalgam terror attack victims. Post-match, India’s team skipped the customary handshake, and Pakistan’s coach expressed disappointment.
The ICC is likely to reject the PCB’s demand to remove match referee Andy Pycroft, following allegations that he instructed captains not to shake hands. Sources suggest Pycroft may have been acting on instructions from the ACC. The PCB, led by chief Mohsin Naqvi, threatened to withdraw from the tournament if their demand wasn’t met.
India has secured its place in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup 2025 after the UAE’s victory over Oman. With India’s progression, the upcoming India-Oman match is now inconsequential.
