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Pakistan's embarrassment in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 isn't ending anytime soon as International Cricket Council (ICC) has sent a strongly-worded email to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) regarding violations within the Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA) at the Dubai International Stadium on September 17. The email, understood to be from ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta, detailed that filming within the PMOA is a serious breach of protocol.
The issue arose when the PCB insisted on recording a conversation between match referee Andy Pycroft, Pakistan's captain Salman Agha, and coach Mike Hesson. When officials objected to the filming in the restricted area, the PCB allegedly threatened to pull out of the match.
To ensure the fixture proceeded as planned, stakeholders reluctantly allowed the PCB's demand. However, the board's subsequent actions, which included releasing statements about Pycroft and sharing the recorded footage on social media, have reportedly been met with disapproval from the governing body.
There was a dispute before a cricket match against the UAE when a PCB media manager insisted on bringing his phone into the PMOA (Player and Match Officials Area). When his request was denied, he reportedly resorted to blackmail tactics.
The ICC and match referee Chris Pycroft wanted to resolve the situation, but the PCB allegedly tried to turn the meeting into a public spectacle. This came after the ICC had already sent an email to the PCB on September 17, the day of the incident, asking for details about the events that led to the match being delayed by an hour. As of now, the PCB has not responded to either the initial email or the more recent one.
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