The International Cricket Council (ICC) has fined Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf 30% of his match fee and issued a stern warning to opener Shahibzada Farhan after their controversial on-field gestures during Pakistan’s Super 4s clash with India in the Men’s T20 Asia Cup.
The incident unfolded on Sunday, when Rauf mimicked an airplane crashing—a move that sparked backlash for its political undertones—while Farhan celebrated with a bat gesture resembling gunfire. Fans quickly linked these actions to Pakistan’s disputed claims of shooting down Indian jets during a past military operation. Both players breached Level 1 of the ICC’s Code of Conduct, but only Rauf faced a financial penalty; Farhan got a reprimand without a fine.
This comes amid rising tensions between the teams. Pakistan’s cricket board (PCB) had earlier complained to the ICC about Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav’s post-match comments after their September 14 opener. Yadav dedicated India’s win to the country’s armed forces, and the Indian players skipped the traditional handshake with opponents. In response, India’s cricket board (BCCI) filed its own grievance over Rauf and Farhan’s gestures in the Super 4s game.
Rauf defended himself, insisting his “6-0” hand signal had no connection to India and meant nothing provocative. Farhan pointed to similar bat celebrations by Indian stars MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli in the past to argue his innocence.
Under ICC rules, Level 1 offenses like this can lead to fines up to 50% of a player’s match fee and demerit points. Here, officials kept it light with just the fine and warnings, but they made it clear: no repeats allowed.
All eyes now turn to the T20 Asia Cup final this Sunday, where unbeaten India will face Pakistan for the third time in the tournament. Pakistan has struggled, losing both their matches to India so far—one in the group stage and one in Super 4s—making this showdown even more intense for cricket fans worldwide.
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