During Sunday’s Asia Cup match against India in Dubai, Pakistani players Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan sparked outrage. Farhan pointed his bat like a AK-47 gun to celebrate his half-century, while Rauf made a hand gesture referencing Pakistan’s claims about downing Indian jets.
The gestures fueled political debate over whether India should have played Pakistan in the tournament. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut and Samajwadi Party’s Sharad Saran criticized the acts, linking them to past attacks and calling them disrespectful.
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj called Rauf’s gesture an insult to the nation and questioned why Pakistanis were given a global platform. Videos of the gestures quickly went viral on social media.
India won the match by six wickets, chasing Pakistan’s target of 172. Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill’s 105-run opening partnership helped secure the victory.
