In an interesting development, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has sent a strong email to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over the violations in the Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA) before their match against the hosts UAE in the ongoing Asia Cup at the Dubai International Stadium on September 17.It is understood that ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta wrote the email to PCB, in which he detailed how filming in the PMOA area was a serious violation.
Well-placed sources have informed TimesofIndia.com that the PCB insisted on recording the entire conversation between match referee Andy Pycroft, Pakistan captain Salman Agha, and coach Mike Hesson.When they were asked not to do that in the PMOA area, the PCB threatened to pull out of the match again. To ensure the Asia Cup fixture wasn’t compromised, other stakeholders allowed the PCB to have their way, but their actions — statements on Pycroft and the release of footage on social media — have not gone down well.It is learnt that PCB media manager wanted to carry his phone in the PMOA area and when he was objected, blackmail tactics were used again before the match.While Pycroft and ICC wanted to clear any misunderstanding, it is understood that the PCB wanted to make a spectacle out of the meeting that took place in the PMOA area of the venue before the fixture against UAE.It remains to be seen how the PCB responds to the strongly-worded email, as they are yet to furnish details in response to another email sent by the global cricket body to the PCB on September 17 — the day the drama unfolded and the fixture was delayed by an hour.
