By Aakash Biswas,News18
Copyright news18
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been creating a ruckus in the ongoing Asia Cup since their 7-wicket defeat against India. Agonised over the handshake saga, the board vented out their frustration over match-referee Andy Pycroft and even threatened to boycott their final group stage fixture against the UAE. However, ICC’s intervention prevented the drama from escalating further. Pakistan took the field against the UAE, an hour later than the scheduled time, and ultimately qualified for the Super 4s.
The PCB had accused the match referee of wrongdoing, demanding an apology from Pyrcroft. They even requested the ICC to allow Richie Richardson to officiate their matches for the remainder of the Asia Cup. But the global governing body didn’t approve.
According to Cricbuzz, Sanjog Gupta, ICC’s recently appointed CEO, spearheaded the discussions that foiled Pakistan’s attempt to have Pycroft removed from officiating their matches in the continental championship.
Who is Sanjog Gupta?
Sanjog Gupta, a pioneering figure in sports media, made history as the first Indian to become Chief Executive Officer of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Before taking charge of world cricket’s governing body in 2025, Gupta served as CEO of Sports & Live Experiences at JioStar, the media giant formed after the 2024 merger of Viacom18 and Star.
Idealy credited with modernising sports broadcasting in India, Gupta is known for his vision, storytelling, and ability to fuse content innovation with commercial success. He began his journey at Star India in 2010, rapidly rising to become the Head of Sports at Disney Star by 2020. In this role, he transformed India’s sports-viewing landscape with multilingual feeds, digital-first strategies, and a sharper spotlight on women’s sports. He also helped grow marquee properties such as the IPL, ICC tournaments, ISL, and PKL, while popularising global events like Wimbledon and the Premier League among Indian audiences.
His ICC appointment followed an exhaustive global search with over 2,500 applicants from 25 countries. Gupta’s selection signalled the ICC’s focus on digital innovation, global expansion, and cricket’s Olympic ambitions ahead of Los Angeles 2028. His firm handling of the recent Pycroft controversy reaffirmed his reputation as a principled leader committed to integrity and due process.
