Asia Cup: Pakistan arrive for UAE game after day long drama; ICC rejects demand for Pycroft removal
Dubai (PTI): Pakistan was forced to climb down from its pullout threat and show up for a crucial Asia Cup game against the UAE here on Wednesday but not before causing a dramatic delay after the ICC's persistent rejection of its demand to remove match referee Andy Pycroft.
The team had earlier refused to leave its hotel for the must-win group match as Pycroft will officiate the game that will now start at 9pm IST instead of the original 8pm start.
Teams are required to report at the stadium two hours before the start of the game which Pakistan failed to do in protest.
That Pycroft would remain match referee was communicated to PCB chairman and Asian Cricket Council head Mohsin Naqvi by ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta in a conference call.
The ICC maintained that the Zimbabwean will remain in charge as he has followed the rules and regulations to the 'T'.
Pakistan had held Pycroft responsible for the embarrassment it faced after its captain Salman Ali Agha and India skipper Suryakumar did not exchange a handshake and their team sheets during the toss on Sunday.
The PCB said that Pycroft had told Salman to avoid a handshake with Suryakumar and told the two captains to not exchange team sheets.
The Indian players did not shake hands with the rivals even after the match as a mark of solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.
On Wednesday, once the Pakistan team didn't leave from the Grosvenor Hotel in Dubai, it was evident that the deadlock continued after the rejection of a second PCB complaint by the ICC.
Pycroft himself was present at the Dubai International Stadium and left the venue surrounded by bodyguards after he was called to the ICC Headquarters just a kilometer away from the ground.
The ICC gave a six-point rebuttal in which maintained that the PCB's complaints were baseless.
The ICC in its written communication stated: "The ICC's investigation was conducted on the basis of the information provided in the report lodged by the PCB. We took the report at Face value and note that no supporting documentation or evidence was provided with it.
"The PCB had every opportunity to submit statement from its team members alongside the initial report but chose not to do so."
The second point stated that there was "no case to answer" on the part of match referee.
"The actions that match referee took was, following clear directions to him from ACC (Asian Cricket Council) Venue Manager, were consistent with how a match referee will deal with such an issue, communicated as it was with no time for him to do anything else (minutes before the toss)."
The ICC in its third pointer was clear that Pycroft was committed to "preserving the sanctity of the toss and avoiding any potential embarrassment that might have arisen. "
"The Match Referee was not at fault in any of this."
"It is not the role of the Match Referee to regulate ay team or tournament specific protocols which have been agreed outside of the area of play, that is a matter for the tournament organizers and relevant team managers," the ICC added.
The conclusion was a terse one where the ICC brass wondered if "...the PCB's real concern or complain relates to the actual decision that handshakes didn't take place."
"The PCB should therefore direct those complaint to the tournament organiser and those who took the actual decision (which was not the Match Referee). The ICC doesn't have a role in that."
In a nutshell, ICC actually put the ball back in "ACC chairman" Mohsin Naqvi and Tournament Director Andy Russell's court.
The PCB can lose up to USD 16 million if they don't play the tournament. Naqvi took advice from two former PCB chairmen -- Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi -- before deciding that the team would continue.
It is not known what transpired in that meeting but soon after Naqvi took to 'X' and announced.
"We have asked the Pakistan team to depart for the Dubai Cricket Stadium. Further details to follow." The team left the venue soon after that.
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Ready to face no-confidence motion, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Hassan (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the Congress government led by him was ready to face the no-confidence motion if moved by the opposition during the legislature session from December 8.
With Deputy CM D K Shivakumar by his side, he reiterated that they would both abide by the high command's decision on the leadership issue.
"Let them (opposition) bring in a no-confidence motion or adjournment motion or any other motion. We are ready to face it. Ours is an open book, transparent government. We are ready to face anything," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.
However, BJP state President B Y Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, clarified that the party, along with the JD(S) has not discussed or decided anything so far regarding moving a no-confidence motion against the government.
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The winter session of the Karnataka legislature will begin in Belagavi, bordering Maharashtra, on December 8 and will go on till 19th of this month.
Not wanting to react to a question on the leadership issue, the CM said the Congress high command is very strong.
"D K Shivakumar and I will be committed to whatever the high command decides," he said.
Earlier in the day in Bengaluru, Shivakumar accompanied AICC Mallikarjun Kharge till airport from Vidhana Soudha, after paying tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary, which had led to some speculation about possible discussion between the two on the leadership issue.
The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculation about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
However, both the CM and Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each others residences, on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session.
