The ICC rejected the PCB’s claims that Pycroft violated the ‘Spirit of the Game’ code, insisting he was merely a messenger who passed on what was conveyed to him by the designated Venue Manager of the Asian Cricket Council. According to ICC officials, Pycroft could only pass on the message as there were only a few minutes left for the match to begin.
The ICC later arranged a meeting between Pycroft and the Pakistan team management — comprising captain Salman, head coach Mike Hesson and manager Naveed Akram Cheema — where he said that he “regretted the miscommunication.”
The ICC, in another e-mail, pointed out that Pycroft never apologised but only “regretted the miscommunication” and also accused the PCB of violating protocols related to the ‘Players and Match Officials Area’ (PMOA), which the latter denied.
In this backdrop, appointing Pycroft for another Indo-Pak match is a clear indication that the global body does not want to budge from its stand, as removing the former Zimbabwe Test batter would have allegedly set a wrong precedent.