Sahibzada Farhan's ‘AK-47’ gesture during Ind vs Pak triggers political row, brings back boycott calls

Pakistani cricketers Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan's gestures during the Asia Cup match against India in Dubai on Sunday have sparked controversy, with politicians also weighing in. One of the Pak players reportedly alluded to the four-day military clash during Operation Sindoor, while another mimicked pointing his bat like a gun, likened to an 'AK-47'.

The controversial gestures by the two Pakistani cricketers also reignited the political debate whether India should have boycotted Pakistan in the Asia Cup.

Pakistan's Haris Rauf, during the second innings of the match that India won, responded to jeers from the spectators by lifting his fingers and indicating '0-6' – a reference that social media decoded to be Islamabad's unsubstantiated claims of downing Indian fighter jets during the military conflict in May this year post Operation Sindoor.

Sahibzada Farhan's ‘AK-47’ gesture

During the first innings, Sahibzada Farhan celebrated his half century with his bat pointed like a gun, a gesture that drew flak with viewers calling it unnecessary drama out of Pakistani being spoilsports.

Some suggested Sahibzada Farhan mimicked an AK-47 with his bat, saying, “This isn’t just a gesture — it reflects a deeper problem.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said 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. #AsiaCup2025 #IndVsPak,” Raut said in a post on X.

Samajwadi Party's Sharad Saran also reacted to Sahibzad Farhan's gesture during the match to reinforce the argument that India should not have played Pakistan in the Asia Cup. In a post on X, Saran asked who is responsible for this insult to the nation.

“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,” Sharad Saran's post read.

Sharad Saran's post was a response to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Malviya hitting out at the opposition for celebrating India's win after objecting to the team playing against Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack and the military conflict. “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 wrote.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj also condemned Haris Rauf's gesture, calling it an insult to the nation.

“In the India-Pakistan match, the Pakistani player is making a mockery of India in front of the whole world. He is making gestures of shooting down the Indian jet. Why were Pakistanis given such a world-class platform? Why didn't we walk out right then?” Bharadwaj wrote on X.

"Shame on BJP's central government. By playing 2-2 matches with Pakistan, they have told the entire world that everything is getting better with Pakistan. And their such antics?" Saurabh Bharadwaj added.

India launched Operation Sindoor military strikes on May 7 targetting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack in which gunmen found to have links with the neighbouring country killed 26.

Haris Rauf, a right-arm fast bowler, was also involved in a heated exchange with India opener Abhishek Sharma.

Videos of Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan reactions spread like wildfire on social media. During the match, Rauf was teased by the Indian fans with the chants of "Virat Kohli".

Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill's opening partnership of 105 runs helped defending champions India beat Pakistan by six wickets in their Asia Cup Super Four match on Sunday, a second victory in the Twenty20 tournament.

Batting first, Pakistan set India a target of 172, which they reached with seven balls remaining.

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