New Delhi, India — India’s six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup Super Four match on Sunday has been overshadowed by a political controversy sparked by the on-field gestures of Pakistani cricketers Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan. The incidents have reignited the debate in India over whether the national team should be playing against Pakistan at all.
The two players’ actions were seen by many as politically charged and disrespectful, leading to sharp criticism from politicians across the spectrum in India.
The Controversial Gestures
- Haris Rauf’s “0-6” Signal: During the second innings, Haris Rauf, a fast bowler, responded to jeers from the crowd by holding up his fingers to form a “0-6” sign. Social media users and Indian politicians quickly interpreted this as a reference to Pakistan’s unverified claim of having shot down six Indian fighter jets during the brief military conflict in May, known as Operation Sindoor. Videos of the gesture, along with a motion mimicking a plane crashing, went viral, drawing widespread condemnation.
- Sahibzada Farhan’s “AK-47” Celebration: Earlier in the match, opening batsman Sahibzada Farhan celebrated his half-century by raising his bat and miming the firing of a gun, a gesture that was likened to an AK-47 assault rifle. This action drew swift and angry reactions, with many viewers calling it an insensitive and unnecessary display, given the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack.
Political Fallout
The gestures have led to renewed calls from Indian politicians for a boycott of cricketing ties with Pakistan.
- Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT) linked Farhan’s gesture directly to the Pahalgam attack in April, where 26 innocent people were killed by terrorists with alleged ties to Pakistan. Raut posted on X, “Reached his fifty and gripped the bat like an AK-47, firing boundaries! This spit in the face of BCCI & Modi govt is peak humiliation.”
- Sharad Saran of the Samajwadi Party echoed this sentiment, questioning why India played the match in the first place and asking who was responsible for this “insult to the nation.”
- Saurabh Bharadwaj of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) condemned Rauf’s gesture as a mockery of the nation and a validation of Pakistan’s “antics.” He also criticized the BJP-led central government for allowing the matches to take place.
- BJP leader Amit Malviya responded by accusing the opposition of hypocrisy, pointing out that the same politicians who had called for a boycott were celebrating India’s victory.
The on-field tension was also high during the match. Rauf was involved in a heated exchange with Indian opener Abhishek Sharma, and videos of the altercation also went viral.
India won the match by six wickets, with Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill setting up the chase with a decisive 105-run opening partnership. However, the political storm ignited by the Pakistani players’ gestures ensures the match will be remembered for more than just the cricket.