The BCCI has filed an official complaint with the ICC, demanding strict action for two Pakistan players after their "provocative and indecent" gestures.
The fallout from the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash between India and Pakistan has been dramatic, with controversy erupting over the on-field gestures of Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan.
Rauf, irritated by Indian fans' "Kohli, Kohli" chants recalling previous cricketing heartbreaks, taunted the crowd with a "6-0" hand gesture, referencing Pakistan's claim of downing six Indian jets after Operation Sindoor.
He also mimicked a crashing plane, escalating the tension in the Dubai stadium. Sahibzada Farhan, meanwhile, celebrated his half-century with a bat-as-machine-gun gesture, which drew widespread criticism for being insensitive and provocative. These acts were caught on video and quickly went viral, fueling anger on social media and among Indian supporters.
The ICC has received the complaint, and unless Rauf and Farhan can convincingly justify their actions at an upcoming disciplinary hearing before ICC Elite Panel Referee Richie Richardson, they face likely sanctions under the game's code of conduct.
Not to be outdone, Pakistan's board responded by formally accusing Suryakumar Yadav of making "political" comments, after the Indian captain dedicated the team's win to soldiers involved in Operation Sindoor and victims of a recent terror attack. The ICC will have to examine the timing and substance of the PCB's complaint before deciding on any course of action.
Handshake Saga and Off-Field Drama
Beyond the gestures, the India-Pakistan rivalry also played out through the "no handshake" saga. Following the group stage win, Indian players, reportedly advised by match referee Andy Pycroft, not to shake hands with the Pakistanis, instead only greeted their own before heading to the dressing room.
Pakistan's team management lodged a protest with the ICC, criticizing both the lack of communication and the alleged disrespect for cricketing spirit. Tensions simmered further, with requests for Pycroft's removal as referee for the remainder of the tournament, but a compromise was ultimately reached for him to officiate at least one more Pakistan game.
The PCB and ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi stoked the fire further by posting a slow-motion Cristiano Ronaldo video on social media, interpreted by many as mimicking Rauf's fighter jet antics. The ACC chief's gesture echoed Pakistan's recurring claims of military "victory" over India, thrusting off-field politics into the center of the cricketing narrative. Pakistani star Shaheen Afridi downplayed criticism over gestures, insisting they were spontaneous and not intended to offend, a stance that didn't appease critics or reduce the outrage.
India can potentially play Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final, which can escalate the war of words and off-field issues in a greater way.
