The intense India-Pakistan rivalry once again extended beyond the pitch during the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash in Dubai. Pakistan’s fast bowler, Haris Rauf, found himself embroiled in a dramatic confrontation, not just with Indian batsmen but also with a passionate crowd.
On a memorable night where India convincingly defeated Pakistan by six wickets, the Dubai International Cricket Stadium echoed with chants of “Kohli, Kohli” every time Rauf approached the boundary ropes. These taunts served as a potent reminder of Virat Kohli’s legendary performance against Rauf during the 2022 T20 World Cup in Melbourne, where the Indian star hit two sixes in the penultimate over, creating one of the most iconic moments in this historic rivalry.
The crowd’s relentless chanting clearly struck a nerve with Rauf. Initially, he provocatively cupped his ear, encouraging the fans to intensify their shouts. He later escalated the situation further by making a controversial fighter-jet gesture, a moment that quickly went viral on social media and ignited a fresh wave of public outcry. This gesture was widely interpreted as a reference to Pakistan’s contentious claims of shooting down Indian jets, further amplifying the already charged atmosphere of the contest.
Rauf’s aggression wasn’t confined to his interactions with the spectators. On the field, he managed to secure 2 wickets for 26 runs in his four overs, posing challenges to India’s middle order but ultimately failing to avert another defeat for his team. Earlier in the match, he was also observed engaging in heated verbal exchanges with India’s Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill during the chase, incidents that required intervention from the umpires.
India, in contrast, responded with their bat. Abhishek Sharma delivered an explosive innings of 74 runs off just 39 balls, decorated with six boundaries and five sixes. Shubman Gill contributed a swift 47 runs off 28 deliveries. Their formidable 105-run opening partnership dismantled Pakistan’s bowling attack, paving the way for India to comfortably chase down the target of 172. Tilak Varma, with an unbeaten 30, skillfully guided India to victory in 18.5 overs.
As the excitement from the match subsides, attention remains fixed on Rauf’s fiery confrontations with the fans. What began as provocative “Kohli-Kohli” chants evolved into gestures that could have lasting implications, underscoring that in India-Pakistan cricket, the battle often rages as fiercely off the field as it does on it.