NEW DELHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday claimed that match referee Andy Pycroft had apologised to its players for disallowing handshakes with the Indian team during their Asia Cup clash.

The PCB, which had delayed the team's departure for the game against the UAE in protest over the ICC's refusal to replace Pycroft, maintained that the Zimbabwean official later expressed regret for his decision.

"ICC's controversial match referee Andy Pycroft has apologized to the manager and captain of the Pakistani cricket team. Andy Pycroft had prohibited the captains of both teams from shaking hands during the India-Pakistan match," the PCB said in a statement on 'X'.

PCB

"The Pakistan Cricket Board had strongly reacted to Andy Pycroft's action. Andy Pycroft termed the incident on September 14 as a result of miscommunication and apologized," it added.

The Pakistan Board also claimed that the ICC would be investigating its complaint against Pycroft.

"The ICC has expressed its readiness to investigate the violation of the Code of Conduct during the match on September 14," it stated.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav had said that the decision to avoid handshakes with Pakistan players was a gesture to express solidarity with victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which killed 26 people.

The ICC has defended Pycroft insisting that he did no wrong and went completely by the book.

After the fresh statement from the PCB, a source in the world body said the apology was only for the "miscommunication."

"...and the ICC will only conduct its investigation when the PCB furnishes further evidence as to what was Pycroft's fault," the source said.

(With PTI Inputs)