For the second time in as many games, Pakistan cancelled the pre-match press conference hours before the scheduled starting time. The previous instance was before the UAE game on Wednesday, after match referee Andy Pycroft had refused to apologise for the alleged miscommunication regarding the no-handshake incident. This latest cancellation came before the Super Four game against India.
Whether it was because Pycroft is slotted to adjudicate the match is uncertain. Pakistan had demanded his removal from the UAE game, they threatened to pull out of the game before last-gasp negotiations resulted in them playing the match, albeit with an hour’s delay. PCB had announced that the match referee had apologised for the miscommunication about the handshake.
Pakistan could have also been aggravated by ICC reprimanding the PCB for breaching the Player and Managers’ Area protocol. The alleged infringement was the PCB media manager using his mobile phone, prohibited in the PMOA according to ICC’s code of conduct. He allegedly recorded the meeting attended by Pycroft, Pakistan captain Salman Agha, head coach Mike Hesson, team manager Naveed Akram Cheema, media manager Naeem Gillani and the ICC general manager of cricket Wasim Khan.
According to Pakistan media reports, Gillani began to shoot the video of the meeting. The ICC members warned against it, but they were insistent on filming it. Consequently ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta wrote a strongly-worded letter to the PCB.
The PCB then wrote to ICC, clarifying their stand: “The team’s media manager is part of the squad and has authorised access to the PMOA. His presence there is not a violation. ICC protocols include provisions that allow media managers to use cameras. If the SOP was not followed, the ICC should question the match referee on whether he reported the matter to the ACU official,” the PCB wrote to the ICC.
However, Pakistan would practise at the ICC Academy as per the schedule. India too would train, an optional nets, at the same time on the adjacent ground of the Academy.
‘This is the wrong attitude’
Kamran Akmal, former Pakistan player, says that this is a wrong move from Pakistan. “This is the thing that needs to be faced. Show confidence, and come to meet the media. Players should have come. It will be known that we haven’t fallen in confidence and we shall do well. Agha should come with courage and face the media. If the captain goes on backfoot, the team also will go similarly. It tells me that there is no confidence, how will the team play the match?” Akmal told Ary News.
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“If you had put your views across, then the pressure would have shifted to the Indian team. Their media would have questioned them. This was a great chance, he could have come, talked about the previous incident or talk about their preparation.”
Another former player Basit Ali too was surprised that they didn’t do the press conference.
“This is wrong attitude. So you wont do pc after match also or won’t do before Sirl Naka? Karenge na? What’s the leader.. He should have come and the could have told if handshake question was posed, that we won’t handshake now,” Ali told Ary News. “These guys don’t know how to play mind games.”
“Who is the guilty party here? Suryakumar didn’t shake hands, na? Then why Agha isn’t turning up for the press conference and acting as if he and Pakistan are the guilty party?,” Basit said.
