PCB names Shan Masood as Consultant for International Cricket and Player Affairs

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced the appointment of national Test captain Shan Masood as Consultant for International Cricket and Players’ Affairs.

The decision was first revealed by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi during a luncheon hosted for the Pakistan and South Africa men’s teams—an event also attended by Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. The PCB later confirmed the news through an official statement, though it did not elaborate on Masood’s exact responsibilities in the new role.

Masood’s appointment follows the suspension of Usman Wahla, the PCB’s Director of International Cricket, who was sidelined last month over delays in communicating a key message to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

According to PCB insiders, Wahla’s inaction concerned an official letter linked to the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 handshake controversy—an issue that gained global attention. His delayed response reportedly caused frustration within the board’s leadership, ultimately resulting in his suspension.

The PCB had earlier lodged a formal complaint with both the ICC and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), calling for the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft. The complaint centred around the Pakistan–India Asia Cup fixture in Dubai, where both captains refrained from participating in the customary pre-match handshake—a move allegedly directed by Pycroft.

In its correspondence, the PCB maintained that the directive violated the spirit of the game and the MCC’s traditional code. The letter stated that “no handshakes took place before or after the match,” deeming it a breach of cricket’s long-held customs. It further accused Pycroft of neglecting his duties as match referee and breaching the ICC Code of Conduct.

The matter was later settled after the PCB confirmed that Pycroft had personally apologised to the Pakistan team, bringing an end to the controversy.