News India Live, Digital Desk: ICC Match Reference: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has recently created a stir in the cricket world by demanding the removal of former Zimbabwe’s former Cricketer and ICC match panel match referee Andy Picroft from its domestic and international series. PCB alleges that Pycronts are not fair and their decisions often go against Pakistan.

But this is not the first time Andy Pycroft has come to the center of a dispute. He has an interesting and memorable relationship with Indian cricket, when he had a competition with Ravi Shastri and Roger Binny on the field. Let’s know who is Andy Pycroft and what is their entire controversy.

Who is Andy Picroft?

The 69 -year -old Andy Pycroft is a former international cricketer of Zimbabwe. In the 1980s and 1990s, he played 20 Tests and 36 ODIs for Zimbabwe. He was a right -handed batsman. After retiring from cricket, he tried his hand in coaching and then became the match referee of the ICC. He is a well-known and experienced face of the ICC match referee’s elite panel. Their job is to maintain discipline on the field, monitor the conduct of the players and ensure following the rules of the game.

Why is PCB angry with Picroft?

The Pakistan Cricket Board believes that some of the recent decisions of Andy Pycroft, especially the fines imposed for violation of the code of conduct on players were biased. PCB has formally complained to the ICC not to appoint any match related to Pakistan in future. PCB alleges that the attitude of Pycroft is strict towards the Pakistan team and soft towards others, which affects the morale of the team.

When Shastri-Binni and Pycroft clashed on the field

The incident is of the 1983 World Cup, when a match was being played between India and Zimbabwe. Andy Pycroft was batting for Zimbabwe in that match and the current president of the Indian team, Roger Binny bowling.

During the match, a ball of Binny hit Pycroft’s pad and the Indian team made a strong appeal. The umpire picked up the finger, but Pycroft felt that he was not out. He stood at the crease and disagreeed on the umpire’s decision. Seeing this, at that time the team’s young and passionate player Ravi Shastri came running from the slip and indicated Pikeroft to go back to the pavilion. There was a sharp debate between the two on the ground.

Ravi Shastri later recalled the incident in an interview that the Picroft was not leaving the crease, then he went and said, “Listen friend, the umpire has raised the finger, now you are going from here or not?” This incident shows that the Picroft has always been a combative character on the ground.

Today the same Andy Picroft teaches discipline lessons on the field as a match referee, but the recent allegations of PCB have put a big question mark on their fairness.