Pakistani pacer Haris Rauf found himself at the center of a storm, both on and off the cricket pitch, following a contentious gesture directed at Indian fans. The incident occurred during his team’s significant six-wicket loss to India in the Super Fours stage of the Asia Cup, held in Dubai.
While positioned near the boundary rope during the second innings, Rauf responded to jeers from Indian spectators by holding up his fingers to display ‘0-6.’ This gesture was a clear reference to a disputed claim by Pakistan regarding the downing of Indian fighter jets during a border skirmish earlier that year.
Videos of the incident rapidly went viral across social media platforms, drawing widespread criticism and mockery from Indian fans who saw the action as unsportsmanlike and provocative.
As Team India prepared for their subsequent Super Fours match against Bangladesh in Dubai, the lingering controversy surrounding Rauf’s behavior was a hot topic among reporters. However, India’s assistant coach chose to deflect the focus from the Pakistani pacer.
The coach stated simply, “Some of the things Haris did was not our concern. We fought with bat and showed them our strength.” This remark emphasized Team India’s focus on their dominant performance, having already defeated Pakistan convincingly twice in the tournament – once in the group stage and again in the Super Fours clash.
India’s composed response highlighted their sporting approach, preferring to let their performance on the field speak for itself rather than engaging in off-field theatrics.