‘Let ICC, Asia Cup go to hell’: Najam Sethi reveals how PCB nearly pulled out of tournament

Islamabad: Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Najam Sethi has lifted the lid on what transpired inside the board’s corridors on September 17, when Pakistan came close to pulling out of the Asia Cup after the handshake row with India.

The controversy began on September 14, when Indian players skipped post-match handshakes with Pakistan cricketers, leaving the PCB fuming. The board demanded the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft and even considered boycotting the tournament.

According to Sethi, the mood within the PCB was extremely tense. “The decision was already taken. The mood was such that, 'under public pressure, let's boycott. Let the Asia Cup go to hell, let the ICC go to hell.' My attitude has always been that you should stay within legal boundaries and not leave the international arena,” he said on Samaa TV.

Players were instructed not to leave the stadium ahead of the Pakistan vs UAE clash on September 17, as Pycroft was officiating that match. Discussions about an immediate pullout delayed the start of play before the board eventually relented.

Sethi stressed that Pakistan could have faced dire consequences if PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had pushed through with the boycott threat. Eventually, Pakistan took the field against the UAE but not before claiming it had received an “apology” from Pycroft, a claim denied by the ICC. Despite PCB’s repeated demands, the governing body made it clear that the Zimbabwean official would remain as match referee.