Amid the ongoing Asia Cup 2025, the ICC has charged Pakistan cricketers Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan on not guilty pleas regarding provocative gestures towards Indian fans and players during the Super Four Rounds match on September 21. The match ref ICC hearing Richie Richardson stated that the players are denying the actions and responding to the ICC lawsuit hearing. Aspects of the ongoing ICC lawsuit hearing are likely to affect the final on September 28 due to the volatile and tense nature of the India-Pakistan upheld rivalries.
This controversy was incited during a particularly heated match at the Dubai International Stadium, where India narrowly defeated Pakistan. Haris Rauf, who is an aggressive bowler and fast of the Pakistan team, was seen and filmed on multiple occasions making harsh gestures to the Indian supporters. Social media videos show Rauf in a mocking manner of a shooting airplane and a soldier reference with the ongoing military tensions like the Operation Sindoor in mid-April as a response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Rauf had also directed harsh language towards Indian players Shubam Gill and Abhishek Sharma during the on-pitch altercation.
Sahibzada Farhan’s flamboyant performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) gained attention once again, and his actions off the field sparked even more controversy. After scoring a half-century, Farhan celebrated by mimicking a shooting gesture, which the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) perceived as politically charged and disrespectful. On Wednesday, the BCCI formally filed a complaint with the ICC on the basis of unsportsmanlike conduct for provocative behavior. In response, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lodged a counter-complaint on Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav for his ‘political commentary’ in which he dedicated a victory to the Pahalgam attack victims, the Indian Armed Forces, and symbolically the Indian armed forces.
During the hearing at the team hotel, both players came along with team manager Naveed Akram Cheema. Rauf strongly rejected any notion that he was trying to provoke India, suggesting that his “6-0” gesture—referring to Pakistan’s cricketing dominance over India—was meant to be friendly and not aimed at the opposition. Meanwhile, Farhan, likening himself to revered Indian cricketing figures and former captains MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, claimed his action was simply a cultural celebration and invoked the “gun” gesture in a more match celebratory context. “This is a traditional celebratory pose in my Pakhtun tribal culture,” Farhan is said to have told the panel, insisting it was devoid of any political meaning.
Rauf was fined 30% of his match fee for “abusive language and aggressive gestures”; this amount could escalate should additional dissent be proven. The tournament sources indicated that despite having no financial penalty, Farhan was let off with a stern warning. In another ICC adjudication, Suryakumar Yadav contested and subsequently lost his case resulting in a 30% penalties of his match fees for a code of conduct violation which the BCCI also appealed. His political comment restriction was also extended for the remainder of the tournament.
Rauf and the BCCI’s case demonstrates the ICC’s policy on sports and geopolitical boundaries, to focus on the sport and not the outside issues. The Rauf and Suryakumar events showcase opposing ICC charged issues on political comment issues pertaining to the high-pressure sport between India and Pakistan. The clash of the cultures around cricket continues to ignite. Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan’s Minister of Home Affairs and President of the Asian Council, amplified the Rauf controversy by displaying a clip of Ronaldo’s infamous ‘plane crash’ meme. The controversial comparison, along with Naqvi’s post, generated a large amount of social media discourse.
With the Asia Cup nearing its finale and an impending final match between Pakistan and India, today’s hearings exemplify the delicate balance that cricketers maintain. Fans have overwhelmed X (formerly Twitter) on both sides, from the Pakistan coach, Mickey Arthur, who has ignored the rhetoric, to the defenders of cultural pride, the pitch has been dominated by calls for more punitive action. “We’re here to play cricket, not politics. The boys have shown character on the field, and that’s what matters,” was Arthur’s response for the hearings.
As one of the planes of the Pakistan attack, Rauf has claimed 15 wickets in the tourney, and Farhan, whose explosive batting has been an unexpected treat, is under the pressure of negative energy that needs to be channeled in the right direction. The morale impacting, if minor, fines, “For the moment,” Arthur has claimed, “the boys will be working on their game.” will not be impacting the morale. The clearest response to the hearing will be the cricket match, where, “The boys have shown character on the field, and that’s what matters.”
