NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Najam Sethi played a key role in mediating between the PCB and ICC after Pakistan insisted on removing match referee Andy Pycroft over the handshake controversy. Tensions escalated when Pakistan threatened to boycott the tournament after the ICC outrightly rejected their demand. The situation took an awkward turn when the PCB instructed the team to stay in the hotel ahead of the UAE match, delaying the start of the game by an hour. Sethi addressed the issue, expressing his apparent disappointment with the PCB's stance. He clarified that while he did not extend his hand to Mohsin Naqvi, his intention was to support Pakistan cricket. Najam Sethi hits back! 🚨 Says PCB’s complaint is wrong & blasts Mohsin Naqvi for appointing people who don’t even know the rules. Complaint must be filed within 18 hours – not after! ⏱️Reports @Lakshit1601 from Dubai#PCB #Cricket pic.twitter.com/353fDb3CDM — Sports Yaari (@YaariSports) September 20, 2025 "The decision was already taken. The mood was such that, 'under public pressure, let's boycott. Let the Asia Cup go to hell, let the ICC go to hell.' My attitude has always been that you should stay within legal boundaries and not leave the international arena. When I was called, my friends told me, 'Don't go, don't support him.' I hadn't gone to support Mr. Mohsin Naqvi. I went to help the Pakistan Cricket Board," he said on Samaa TV. pic.twitter.com/th2OekkvzjNajam Sethi said: Mahsin Naqvi had decided to withdraw from the Asia Cup. My friends told me, 'Don't go, don't help them.' I didn't even go to help Mahsin Naqvi. If what Mahsin Naqvi was doing had happened, Pakistan would have suffered irreparable damage,… — Kashif (@KashifNdmCric) September 19, 2025 He said that Pakistan would have faced an existential crisis had they pulled out of the tournament. "If what he was attempting had succeeded, Pakistan would have suffered irreparable damage. We could have been sanctioned by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), penalised by the International Cricket Council (ICC), foreign players might have refused to play in the PSL, and we stood to lose $15 million in ACC broadcasting rights. It would have been an existential crisis for PCB." The standoff was finally defused when Pakistan withdrew its threat to pull out of the tournament. The PCB said they had received an apology from match Pycroft, though he remained in charge despite their objections. ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta, who had been closely involved in the negotiations, informed PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi that Pycroft would continue as referee, emphasising that he had acted entirely within the rules.