• PCB chairman to consult senior officials on next steps.
• ICC may replace Pycroft with Richardson for future matches.
• Pakistan suspends director for delay in forwarding complaint.
  

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) has turned down Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) request to remove match referee Andy Pycroft from the ongoing Asia Cup, Indian media reported on Tuesday.

According to the reports, the ICC formally informed the PCB of its decision last night, dismissing Pakistan’s stance that Pycroft had acted at the behest of the Indian team.

The PCB had filed an official complaint with the ICC, accusing Pycroft of violating the “Spirit of Cricket” by allegedly asking the Pakistan and India captains not to shake hands at the toss before their Asia Cup 2025 fixture on Sunday.

The complaint also referred to the absence of the customary handshake between the two sides after the match.

There are reports of a possibility of ICC match referee Richard Richardson being appointed as the match referee for Pakistan’s upcoming Asia Cup fixtures, though no official confirmation has been made.

Sources earlier said Pakistan was considering withdrawing from the tournament if its demand was not met, describing the next few hours as crucial for future deliberations.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi is expected to consult senior government officials in Lahore later today to discuss the board’s next course of action.

The controversy arose after Pakistan and India captains avoided a handshake at the toss during their September 14 Asia Cup 2025 fixture, an omission reportedly directed by match referee Pycroft.

The same was repeated towards the end of the match, when the players of the opposing teams shook hands as per cricketing tradition, where the Indian team skipped the customary post-match handshake.

While the Indian players congratulated each other at the dugout after the match, they refrained from acknowledging or shaking hands with the Pakistani team.

Pakistan’s players lined up expecting the customary handshake, only to see the Indian team retreat and close the dressing room doors.

India’s victorious captain, Suryakumar, defended his team’s decision not to shake hands with the Pakistan players, saying that it was taken in alignment with their government and cricket board.

“We are aligned with the government and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Some things are above sportsmanship. Is it really sportsmanship if you don’t even shake hands with the opposing team? That was our answer,” he said.

The move prompted a strong reaction from the cricketing fraternity as well as Mohsin Naqvi, who heads both the PCB and is also the serving head of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

Not only did Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha, in protest, refused to attend the post-match presentation ceremony, breaking from broadcast norms where captains usually share their thoughts, the PCB has filed a formal complaint with the ICC and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), calling for the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft from the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 — for reportedly instructing the omission of the customary handshake.

Apart from taking up the matter with the ICC, the PCB has also come down hard on its own Director of International Cricket, Usman Wahla, and has suspended him over failure to promptly forward an official letter to the ICC concerning the Asia Cup handshake controversy.

The Sunday’s match, the first ever since the two countries were involved in an armed conflict triggered by India’s cross-border attack, followed by Pakistan’s retaliation and launch of “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos”.

The hostilities left more than 70 people dead in missile, drone, and artillery exchanges, before a ceasefire was eventually reached.

The neighbours have not met on either side’s soil in a bilateral series since 2012 and only play each other in international tournaments on neutral ground as part of a compromise deal. 

The Los Angeles Chargers took care of another AFC West opponent, defeating the Las Vegas Raiders, 20-9, on “Monday Night Football.”

Justin Herbert and the Chargers left Sao Paulo, Brazil, with an emphatic win over the Kansas City Chiefs to start the 2025 campaign, snapping a long-standing losing streak to their division rival in the process. Seeing another key matchup in Week 2, Jim Harbaugh’s team didn’t squander the opportunity for another victory.

Herbert didn’t have to light up the stat sheet like he did against the Chiefs, but he was just as efficient, throwing for 235 yards on 18-of 26 with two touchdowns. 

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And Herbert found the same players he did in Brazil in the end zone, as Quentin Johnston and Keenan Allen were the recipients of those touchdowns in Las Vegas. Allen gave the Chargers a 10-3 lead when he sprinted to the back right of the end zone and Herbert, flushed out of the pocket, threw a strike to him for his second touchdown of the season.

CHARGERS’ MEKHI BECTON REVEALS POSSIBLE CAUSE OF MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS, APPARENT HOSPITALIZATION IN BRAZIL

Then, in the second quarter, Johnston ran the perfect route and Herbert had a clean pocket to deliver a deep ball for a 60-yard touchdown. It was Johnston’s third of the season after scoring twice in Brazil to aid the Chargers’ victory over the Chiefs.

Meanwhile, on the Raiders’ sideline, veteran quarterback Geno Smith was struggling. He went 24 of 43 for 180 yards with three interceptions and no touchdowns. The Chargers’ defense was making it tough for him to get into a rhythm, and it started from his very first dropback as a tipped pass ended up resulting in one of those picks.

Daiyan Henley, Tony Jefferson and Donte Jackson all had interceptions off Smith in the game, while the Chargers’ defense limited Las Vegas to just three Daniel Carlson field goals.

The Raiders’ defense was making it hard for the Chargers’ run game, though, as rookie Omarion Hampton managed just 24 yards on eight carries. Najee Harris also had eight touches for 28 yards, with Herbert leading the run game with 31 yards on nine carries.

Raiders rookie Ashton Jeanty had little success for Las Vegas, rushing 11 times for 42 yards. And though he was able to play while battling a knee injury, star tight end Brock Bowers was held to five catches for 38 yards.

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The Chargers will aim to keep their good start going next week when their home opener features yet another division rival — the Denver Broncos — at SoFi Stadium. The Raiders hit the road with a chance to bounce back against the Washington Commanders.

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LONDON:

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank said he was looking forward to testing himself against Europe’s top teams as he prepares for his Champions League debut against Villarreal on Tuesday.

Spurs are playing in Europe’s top club competition for the first time since the 2022/23 season, qualifying by winning the Europa League last season under former manager Ange Postecoglou.

Frank left Brentford to take charge of Spurs in June after Tottenham sacked Postecoglou following a 17th-place finish in the Premier League.

The Danish manager’s only previous European experience as a manager came in Europa League qualifying with former club Brondby.

“It’s a fantastic experience tomorrow,” he told reporters on Monday. “We played with Brentford in the Championship at Griffin Park (the club’s former ground), a small, compact stadium.”

“And tomorrow we’re playing in one of the best stadiums in the world, maybe the best, in front of our fantastic fans.

“It’s a European night and we know they will be absolutely on it. It will be so special, so really looking forward to the first two minutes and the Champions League anthem, then it’s focus on the game.”

Spurs, beaten Champions League finalists in 2019, have started the season brightly, winning three of their first four matches in the Premier League.

They also pushed European champions Paris Saint-Germain hard in the European Super Cup in mid-August, losing on penalties after conceding two late goals in a 2-2 draw.

Frank, 51, said he was not focusing on how many points Spurs would need to progress from the Champions League league phase.

“I focus on one thing, let’s see if we can beat Villarreal tomorrow, that’s the most important thing,” he said. “After that we are playing Brighton (in the Premier League). One game at a time.”

Other opponents in the group stage include Monaco, PSG and Borussia Dortmund.

Forward Dominic Solanke, who has been sidelined since last month, was absent from training on Monday and Frank said he was not ready to play.

New signings Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani both featured in wet conditions, with Kolo Muani in line to make his Spurs debut.