The Pakistan cricket team created a stir ahead of their 10th Asia Cup 2025 match against the UAE, arriving late at the stadium in protest. Their demand was that match referee Andy Pycroft issue an apology to the team. Following the incident, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) claimed that Pycroft had apologized to captain Salman Ali Agha, manager Naveed Akram Cheema, and head coach Mike Hesson.

However, new reports suggest otherwise. According to the Times of India, Pycroft never apologized to anyone from the Pakistan camp. Sources clarified that there was no question of an apology, as the referee had not committed any error. Instead, Pycroft summoned the Pakistan captain, manager, and head coach to his room to clear up the matter.

Interestingly, the PCB released a muted video on social media to suggest that an apology had been offered. Reports now claim that this was misleading and part of a media narrative pushed by the PCB.

Mohsin Naqvi’s Claim
Before the Pakistan-UAE match, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi held a press conference stating that Pycroft had apologized to the team and that the incident should never have happened. He also said that he had urged the ICC to probe the alleged code of conduct violation from September 14.

Despite the controversy, Pakistan went on to defeat the UAE by 41 runs and secured their spot in the Super Four, where they are set to face India on September 21.