Handshake row: Ex-umpire blasts PCB's 'unnecessary drama' after India defeat

NEW DELHI: The ongoing Asia Cup has been overshadowed by the fallout from the handshake row and Pakistan Cricket Board’s escalating confrontations with the ICC. Former international umpire Anil Chaudhary has now weighed in, dismissing the controversy as “unnecessary” and accusing Pakistan of using it to shift the spotlight after their defeat to India.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“I think that after losing the match, it was a part of turning things around. Otherwise, in any law book, in any ICC's playing conditions, there is nothing in writing,” Chaudhary told ANI. “The handshake controversy you are referring to started about 15-20 years ago. The captain used to shake hands before. So, I think all that is unnecessarily created, and there is no need for it.”The incident erupted after India beat Pakistan by seven wickets in Dubai on Sunday and the Indian players chose not to engage in post-match handshakes. Pakistan reacted sharply, boycotting the presentation ceremony and later filing a complaint against ICC match referee Andy Pycroft, accusing him of violating the spirit of cricket. The ICC, however, refused to act on the complaint.

Chaudhary was blunt in his assessment of the PCB’s move: “I think the people who complained also knew that there was no point in doing this in the field.

By doing this, they will know that nothing is going to happen.”The PCB’s protests escalated into threats of pulling out of their must-win clash against the UAE, demanding Pycroft’s removal. On Wednesday, Pakistan delayed leaving their team hotel in Dubai, forcing the match to start an hour late.

Chaudhary, however, defended Pycroft: “All these are unnecessary things. He is a seasoned and old referee from the ICC elite panel. He is a very well-known player of Zimbabwe, and his track record is so good.”As Pakistan advanced to the Super Four after beating the UAE, the cricketing narrative remains entangled in off-field theatrics, with Chaudhary’s remarks reinforcing the sense that the handshake row was more politics than sport.