ICC Fines Pakistan Players Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan for Gun-Fire Act in India Match

Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has been penalized by the International Cricket Council (ICC), fined 30 per cent of his match fee for using “abusive language and making aggressive gestures” during the Asia Cup Super 4 match against India. His teammate, batsman Sahibzada Farhan, who celebrated his half-century with a ‘gun-fire’ gesture, received an official warning but no financial penalty.

The hearing was conducted by match referee Richie Richardson at the Pakistan team hotel. Both players attended in person, alongside team manager Naveed Akram Cheema, and submitted their written statements. The action followed a formal complaint lodged by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Tensions between the two sides have been high during the tournament. The match in question saw heated on-field altercations, and Indian fans reportedly chanted Virat Kohli’s name to taunt Rauf, reminding him of the batter’s famous shots against him in the 2022 T20 World Cup. In response, Rauf made gestures that were interpreted as mocking a military operation.

Farhan, after his fifty, celebrated with a gesture that simulated firing a gun. When questioned by reporters post-match, Farhan stated that the act was spontaneous and done in the heat of the moment, adding that he was not concerned about how it would be perceived.

In a related development, the Pakistan Cricket Board had also filed a complaint against Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav for his post-match remarks dedicating a previous victory to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and the Indian Armed Forces. According to sources, Suryakumar Yadav denied the charge but was advised to refrain from making any potentially political statements for the remainder of the tournament.

Despite losing both their matches to India in this Asia Cup, Pakistan secured a place in the final, where they are set to face India for a third time in what will be the first-ever final between the arch-rivals in the tournament’s history.