IND vs PAK Asia Cup Controversy: Sahibzada Farhan's 'AK-47' Gesture Sparks Political Outrage, Revives Calls For Match Boycott

IND vs PAK Asia Cup Match Controversy: Pakistani cricketers Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan triggered a political uproar with their gestures during the Asia Cup match against India in Dubai on Sunday. The actions, including Farhan’s bat-pointing gesture likened to an “AK-47” and Rauf’s apparent reference to the four-day military clash during Operation Sindoor, have reignited calls for India to boycott Pakistan in the tournament.

The gestures fueled a heated debate over India’s participation in the Asia Cup against Pakistan. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut criticized Sahibzada Farhan’s gesture, claiming it evoked the Pahalgam Terror Attack, where Pakistani terrorists killed 26 innocents.

Sanjay Raut lashed out at the ICC chairman Jay Shah, accusing him of enabling the match and mocking him with a sharp statement on X.

"Sahibzada Farhan just proved on the field how Pakistani terrorists slaughtered 26 innocents in Pahalgam--gunning them down like it was nothing. 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. For enabling India's shame, Jay Shah deserves the Bharat Ratna," Raut said.

ALSO READ: Fans Tease Haris Rauf With Virat Kohli Chants During IND vs PAK Clash

Later, in another tweet, he continued to mock ICC Chief Jay Shah, "Who is responsible for this? Jai Bhai! Jai Bhai! Jai Bhai should be awarded the Bharat Ratna. For stopping the India-Pakistan war, President Trump should get the Nobel Prize and for the insult to India's martyrs, patriots should strongly demand Bharat Ratna for Jai Bhai!"

Samajwadi Party’s Sharad Saran argued that Farhan’s gesture mocked India and reinforced the case for a boycott. “People are abusing him [Sahibzada Farhan], saying he did this to repeat and remind others of the Pahalgam attack. He mocked India in the name of the killings that happened in India… If Modi had wanted, would India play cricket with Pakistan,” Saran wrote on X, questioning who was responsible for this perceived insult.

In response, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Malviya criticized the opposition for their contradictory stance. “What is amusing is how the same Opposition, which was howling that India must not play Pakistan, sat glued to the match, even cheering Sahibzada Farhan’s theatrics! Almost feels like Shahid Afridi whispered a word to Rahul Gandhi in advance… nothing else explains the Congress ecosystem’s alacrity!” Malviya posted.

What Happened?

During Pakistan’s second innings in the Asia Cup Tournament, which India won, Haris Rauf responded to jeers from spectators by gesturing “0-6,” interpreted on social media as a reference to Pakistan’s unverified claims of downing Indian fighter jets during the May military conflict following Operation Sindoor.

Sahibzada Farhan’s gesture came during the first innings when he celebrated his half-century by pointing his bat like a gun. The act drew widespread criticism, with viewers labeling it provocative and some suggesting it mimicked an AK-47, reflecting deeper tensions. “This isn’t just a gesture, it reflects a deeper problem,” one comment read.

Rauf also clashed verbally with Indian opener Abhishek Sharma, while Indian fans taunted him with chants of “Virat Kohli.” Videos of both players’ actions went viral on social media.

India, led by Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill’s 105-run opening partnership, chased Pakistan’s target of 172 with seven balls to spare, securing their second victory in the Asia Cup Super Four.

Apart from his theatrics on the boundary line, Rauf was also involved in a heated exchange with India opener Abhishek Sharma. Pandemonium ensued on the final ball of the fifth over. Gill flawlessly executed a short-arm jab to send the ball racing away for a four. After the end of the over, Abhishek and Rauf got into a fierce exchange, which forced Umpire Gazi Sohel to get involved and separate the two.

According to these leaders, India should not have played against Pakistan at all, accusing the government and cricket authorities of compromising national pride.

Coming to the fixture on Sunday night, Pakistan managed to crawl its way to 171/5, their highest against India while batting first in T20Is. In reply, Abhishek (74) and Shubman Gill (47) raised a 105-run opening stand to pave the way for India's triumph.

Also Read: Asia Cup points table after IND vs PAK

Operation Sindoor

On May 7, India conducted Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, where gunmen linked to Pakistan killed 26 people.

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