Dubai, Sep 25: Tensions between India and Pakistan spilled off the pitch after their Asia Cup Super 4 clash in Dubai, with both cricket boards lodging official complaints to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has formally complained against Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf and opener Sahibzada Farhan for allegedly making provocative gestures during the September 21 match. Sources confirmed the complaint was filed on Wednesday, with the ICC acknowledging receipt. If the players deny the charges in writing, they will face a hearing before ICC Elite Panel referee Richie Richardson.
During the match, Rauf allegedly mimicked an aircraft being shot down—an apparent reference to India’s military actions—after Indian fans taunted him with chants of “Kohli, Kohli,” recalling Virat Kohli’s heroics against him at the 2022 T20 World Cup. He also reportedly abused Indian openers Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma, who responded with runs on the field. Farhan, meanwhile, celebrated a milestone with a mock gun-firing gesture using his bat, drawing sharp criticism. “It suddenly came to my mind… I don’t care how people take it,” he later told reporters.
In a counter move, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has lodged a protest against Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, accusing him of making “political” comments. After India’s September 14 game, Yadav had dedicated the team’s victory to victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and praised the Indian Armed Forces for Operation Sindoor. PCB insists his remarks violated ICC’s code, though questions remain over whether their complaint was filed within the seven-day deadline.
The controversy has been further stoked by Asian Cricket Council chairman and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, who posted a cryptic video of Cristiano Ronaldo on ‘X’, seemingly mimicking a crashing aircraft. The post was seen as echoing Rauf’s on-field gesture, though in the original clip Ronaldo appeared to be describing the dip of a free-kick.
As India progresses to the Asia Cup final, it remains unclear whether the team will share the stage with Naqvi during the presentation ceremony. The ICC is now under pressure to adjudicate the complaints, with disciplinary action against players—and even broader diplomatic undertones—hanging in the balance. (Agencies)