The Pakistan team’s Asia Cup 2025 campaign continues to be plagued by controversy, as new footage reveals another player, Faheem Ashraf, making a provocative ‘6-0’ gesture towards Indian supporters. This incident follows closely on the heels of similar actions by teammate Haris Rauf during Sunday’s Super Four match in Dubai, fueling further outrage.
An image captures Haris Rauf gesturing towards Indian fans while fielding on the boundary during the Asia Cup match.
New viral video clips from the India-Pakistan showdown clearly show Faheem, positioned near the boundary line, using his fingers to flash the ‘6-0’ sign at Indian fans. This repeated display intensifies accusations that Pakistani cricketers are injecting political and military undertones into the sport, overshadowing the spirit of the game.
Rauf had previously faced significant backlash for displaying fighter jet crash signals and the infamous ‘6-0’ hand gesture. This gesture, reportedly tied by Pakistani media to unsubstantiated claims of downing six Indian jets during ‘Operation Sindoor,’ was repeated by Rauf after he dismissed Sanju Samson for 13, escalating tensions on the field. Despite these antics, India ultimately triumphed, securing a six-wicket victory and their second win against Pakistan in the tournament.
The cricketing community is now grappling with the question of whether such provocative gestures warrant disciplinary action.
While these incidents fuel ongoing debates about player conduct, India’s assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate, downplayed their significance. Ahead of India’s upcoming Super Fours match against Bangladesh, he stated that Haris Rauf’s actions were ‘not our concern,’ emphasizing that India focused on their batting strength to secure victory.
In a related development, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has been heard defending his team’s performance, remarking that ‘Conditions didn’t let us score 200’ after their Asia Cup losses.
Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Salman Agha sidestepped the controversy, choosing instead to highlight his team’s improved batting performance despite their loss. Agha acknowledged that while their batting was ‘a lot better,’ overall victory requires excellence in all three aspects of the game: batting, bowling, and fielding.
These controversial gestures have once again sparked a broader conversation about sportsmanship in intense rivalries. The debate intensified when Pakistan’s U-17 football team faced similar scrutiny just a day later, as striker Muhammad Abdullah’s ‘sipping tea’ celebration against India during the SAFF U-17 Championship was widely interpreted as a provocative reference to the 2019 Abhinandan episode, leading to varied reactions across social media.