The International Cricket Council (ICC) has concluded its hearing of Pakistan cricketers Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan for alleged provocative gestures during the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 game against India on September 21. According to tournament sources, the Pakistan players could be fined 50 to 100 percent of their match fees. While Rauf had mocked the Indian fans in the stands by gesturing about falling planes, Farhan’s celebration after his half-century in the game was also seen as offensive by the Indian side. BCCI had lodged a complaint against the two players for their alleged provocative gestures.
It is learnt that Rauf is likely to be fined for “abusive language and aggressive gestures” during the game against India on Sunday. Rauf had shown ‘6-0’ and plane-crashing gestures during the Super 4 match against India. According to sources, Haris Rauf told match referee Richie Richardson: “‘6-0’ doesn’t mean anything. So how can it be considered wrong?”
Farhan, on the other hand, has pleaded not guilty to any code of conduct violation for his gunfire celebration, claiming that it is a “traditional way of celebrating in his ethnic Pakhtun tribe” in Pakistan. “I’m a Pathan. We do gun celebrations in our country,” sources quoted him as saying. Farhan also mentioned that Virat Kohli has celebrated in a similar way.
The two teams are due to clash in the final of the regional showpiece on Sunday.
The ICC is yet to come out with an official statement on the matter. Tensions between the two sides have been running high starting with India’s refusal to do a traditional handshake with Pakistani players at the time of toss and after the games as a gesture of solidarity with the Pahalgam victims.
Twenty six people were killed in the attack that was carried out by terrorists in April. In retaliation, India launched Operation Sindoor in May to destroy terror infrastructure in Pakistan.
With PTI inputs