Haris Rauf, Sahibzada Farhan plead not guilty in ICC hearing for provocative gestures against India, to face sanctions

Pakistan cricketers Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan are likely to face International Cricket Council (ICC) sanctions for the alleged provocative gestures against India in their Super 4 clash of the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 on September 21 in Dubai. Both Rauf and Farhan attended the ICC hearing on Friday and pleaded not guilty. According to PTI, Rauf is likely to be fined for “abusive language and aggressive gestures” during the game.

While Rauf had mocked the Indian fans in the stands by gesturing about falling planes, opening batter Farhan used his bat as a prop gun after completing his fifty. The report also added that Farhan claimed that it is a "traditional way of celebrating in his ethnic Pakhtun tribe" in Pakistan.

"They are likely to be fined and given demerit points but there will be no match ban on either of the two," a tournament source told PTI. The hearing was conducted by match referee Richie Richardson and both the players appeared before him in person even though the responses given by them were in writing.

The ICC summon of both Rauf and Farhan came after the BCCI complained to match referee Andy Pycroft, also keeping ICC in its email. On Thursday, ICC had warned Suryakumar Yadav in a hearing over the India captain's Pahalgam comment during the IND vs PAK group stage clash on September 14 in Dubai.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has officially lodged a complaint against Suryakumar. It must be noted that India and Pakistan are set to clash in the Asia Cup 2025 final on Sunday in Dubai. Earlier, India have beaten Pakistan twice in the tournament - in the group stage and in Super 4 stage.

India vs Pakistan in Asia Cup final for first time

Meanwhile, this will be the first time in the Asia Cup, India are facing Pakistan in the final. The Men in Blue are the most successful team in the history of the tournament with eight titles across formats. On the other hand, Pakistan have been able to lift the silverware only twice.

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