Sports
Pakistan’s dignity upheld after Pycroft apology in handshake row, says Naqvi
LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said that the country’s honour remained intact during the handshake controversy that erupted after the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 match against arch-rivals India.
Naqvi, flanked by former chairmen Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi, told reporters at Gaddafi Stadium that Zimbabwe-based match referee Andy Pycroft had formally apologised to national captain Salman Ali Agha, the coach and the team manager, acknowledging the concerns raised by the side.
“A short while ago, the match referee apologised to the captain and team manager. We have also lodged a formal request with the International Cricket Council (ICC) to investigate the breaches that occurred during the September 14 fixture,” Naqvi said.
“I consulted former chairmen Najam Sethi and Ramiz Raja on the matter. Thank God, Pakistan’s honour has been preserved, and now we expect the team to focus on their performance,” he added.
Former PCB chairman and commentator Ramiz Raja welcomed the development, calling it a “victory for Pakistan” and urging all stakeholders to concentrate on cricket rather than off-field distractions.
“This is a victory for Pakistan. Whatever hurt was felt, the focus must now return to the team’s performance. Cricket should remain cricket, not a political platform. Everyone’s attention should be on the game; the team must deliver on the field,” Raja said.
He also questioned the officiating, remarking, “Andy Pycroft has shown bias in favour of the Indian team.”
Najam Sethi reiterated the PCB’s long-standing position: “The PCB has always maintained that politics should have no place in sport.”
The press conference followed Pycroft’s apology for the handshake row that arose during the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 blockbuster against India.
According to the PCB, Pycroft described the incident as a result of miscommunication. The ICC has indicated its willingness to conduct a formal inquiry into the alleged breach of the code of conduct.
“The ICC match referee, Andy Pycroft, has apologised to the manager and captain of the Pakistan cricket team,” the PCB stated. “He had barred the captains of India and Pakistan from shaking hands during the match. The PCB reacted strongly to his actions. The ICC has now expressed its willingness to investigate.”
Meanwhile, the national squad and support staff arrived at the stadium after receiving PCB clearance.
Pycroft, whom the PCB held responsible for mishandling the handshake incident, had earlier been reported to have left for ICC headquarters in Dubai.
The match will start at 3:00 p.m.
Pakistan lead the series one-nil.
TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray will go on injured reserve as he continues to rehabilitate a foot injury he suffered in Week 5, coach Jonathan Gannon said Wednesday.
The injury isn’t season-ending, Gannon said. Murray will have a chance to return if his foot gets healthy.
“I really do [hope that happens],” Gannon said. “We got a lot of ball to play, and one day at a time. And where he sits right now is he’s got to pour into his health bucket and get ready to get healthy.”
With Murray out for at least the next four weeks, Jacoby Brissett will continue to be the Cardinals’ starter with Kedon Slovis as his backup. Gannon said the Cardinals will look to add another quarterback.
“Jacoby does his job, takes it one day at a time, prepares when he wasn’t the starter, prepares to be the starter,” Gannon said. “He knows his role can change, and now he’s going to prepare the same way.”
Murray would be eligible to return in Week 14 against the Los Angeles Rams (Dec. 7).
The decision to put Murray on IR came together Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, Gannon said. It was a collective decision between the team and Murray, along with his representatives.
In the end, Gannon said, it was the best thing to do for Murray and for the team.
“He’s not fully healthy, ready to go yet, so that makes the most sense,” Gannon said. “Obviously that’s a change, but we just felt. looking at it right now, that’s the best thing for him and us.
“He’s fully committed. Right now, what he’s going to concentrate on is getting healthy. He’s not healthy enough to play. He needs to get healthy so he can get back to playing football.”
After weeks of uncertainty about whether Murray would or wouldn’t be healthy enough to play, Gannon said the decision to put Murray on injured reserve was based on the information the team currently has.
Gannon said it was “very fair” to say that Murray’s foot injury was a situation tougher for him to return from than other quarterbacks who don’t rely on their legs to make plays as much as Murray does.
“Obviously, for him, it prevents him from being fully healthy to go play, and him, as the person that he is and the player that he is, yes,” Gannon said. “And you could look at other things, like this injury for other people might not, but he’s played through some things that other positions, if they have those, they can’t play with those because of what they’re asked to do.”
Gannon said that Murray took the news “as good as you can take it” and added that the quarterback is in a good place to focus on his rehab.
BRASELTON, Ga. — Charlie Woods now shares one honor with Tiger Woods, as the son of the 15-time major champion was named as a first-team All-American by the American Junior Golf Association on Wednesday.
Charlie Woods, a junior at The Benjamin School in South Florida, was among 12 boys named to the first team of the AJGA’s annual list. Miles Russell, the 17-year-old who was an alternate at the Walker Cup this summer, was selected player of the year for the second time.
Tiger Woods was the AJGA’s player of the year in 1991 and 1992.
Charlie Woods won his first big title at the Team TaylorMade Invitational in May.
The AJGA second team included Mason Howell, who won the U.S. Amateur and played in the Walker Cup, and Cameron Kuchar, the son of Matt Kuchar, who plans to attend TCU.
Aphrodite Deng, the Canadian living in New Jersey, was player of the year in the girls’ division. Deng won the U.S. Girls Junior this year, along with two big AJGA events.
The teams were determined exclusively through the Rolex AJGA Rankings as of Oct. 14.
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