Amid ongoing outrage over Pakistan cricketers Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan’s controversial gestures during their Asia Cup 2025 match against India, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi has ignited fresh controversy. On Wednesday, Naqvi shared a video of Cristiano Ronaldo making a ‘fighter jet’ gesture on his social media handle, a move widely seen as a deliberate provocation and an apparent attempt to justify actions that have already drawn strong backlash.
Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan’s Controversial Gestures
During the Super Four match against India at Dubai International Stadium last Sunday, Haris Rauf repeatedly made gestures aimed at the Indian spectators. Rauf was seen making fighter-jet gestures near the boundary rope and again after dismissing Indian batter Sanju Samson.
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He also displayed a ‘6-0’ sign to the crowd, referencing a false claim that six Indian Air Force aircraft were shot down during Operation Sindoor in May. Reports indicate that Rauf had been heard shouting ‘6-0’ during Pakistan’s training at the ICC Academy in Dubai the day before the match.
Adding to the controversy, Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan celebrated his fifty against India by making a ‘gun-firing’ gesture, further inflaming tensions.
PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi’s Provocative Social Media Post
Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as the head of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), escalated the situation with his social media post featuring Cristiano Ronaldo. Instead of calming tensions, Naqvi’s action drew sharp criticism from fans and cricketing circles, intensifying the outrage surrounding the earlier incidents.
BCCI Demands Strict Action Against Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan’
Earlier on Wednesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) demanded strict action against Rauf and Farhan. According to Dainik Jagran, the Indian team lodged an official complaint with match referee Andy Pycroft, citing the players’ “indecent and provocative behaviour” and providing video evidence. The BCCI maintains that the gestures were deliberate.
India and Pakistan could meet for a third time in Asia Cup 2025 if Pakistan defeats Bangladesh in their final Super Four match in Dubai on Thursday. The Indian side, led by Suryakumar Yadav, has already defeated Pakistan twice in the tournament.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
