Advertisement
Advertisement
DUBAI: Pakistan cricketers Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan appeared before ICC match referee Richie Richardson on Friday after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) lodged an official complaint against the duo over their on-field gestures during the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash.
According to sources, both players submitted written responses and defended their actions during the hearing. Richardson reportedly questioned them in detail about the incidents.
Sahibzada Farhan rejected the allegation that his half-century celebration carried political undertones.
The opener had mimicked firing a machine gun with his bat after reaching fifty, a move that drew heavy criticism on social media.
Farhan, however, clarified that his gesture was cultural rather than political.
“In Pashtun traditions, this is how celebrations are done,” he is said to have told the referee.
Haris Rauf, meanwhile, was pressed on the six-finger gesture he made while fielding on the boundary.
The pacer challenged the claim, asking officials directly, “Tell me, what do you people think this means?”
He further argued in his written response that there was no evidence to back the allegations. Richardson, however, did not comment on Rauf’s counter-question, sources said.
The controversy arose after the BCCI emailed its complaint to the ICC earlier this week, pointing to Farhan’s celebration and Rauf’s actions as “provocative.”
The match in question, played on September 21, saw several heated exchanges between players on both sides, amplifying the tension around the rivalry.
READ: Shoaib Akhtar confident Pakistan will ‘Nail It’ in Asia Cup final against India
