Dubai, September 26, 2025: Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has been fined 30% of his match fee after being found guilty of breaching the ICC code of conduct during the Asia Cup Super-Four clash against India on September 21, match referee Richie Richardson confirmed on Friday.
Pakistan batter Sahibzada Farhan, who was also reported for misconduct, escaped with a warning and no financial penalty.
The heated encounter in Dubai saw Rauf responding to heckling from Indian fans by signaling “6-0” with his hands and making gestures depicting the downing of aircraft, a reference widely interpreted as alluding to the military confrontation between India and Pakistan earlier this year. Farhan had celebrated his half-century by mimicking a gunshot gesture.
Earlier, India captain Suryakumar Yadav was fined 30% of his match fee for making comments referencing the same conflict following the group-stage match against Pakistan on September 14. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) appealed the sanction, while the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had lodged formal complaints against Yadav, Rauf, and Farhan.
All three players had pleaded not guilty, prompting formal hearings overseen by Richardson.
Tensions between the two arch-rivals have simmered throughout the tournament. Ahead of the September 14 group-stage match — which India won by seven wickets — players from both sides refused to shake hands at the toss and after the game. In the Super Four clash, confrontations between Pakistan’s bowlers and India’s openers further highlighted the animosity, with Indian batter Abhishek Sharma later accusing Pakistan of “coming at us for no reason.”
The controversy now sets the stage for a high-voltage finale, as India and Pakistan prepare to meet for the third time in the tournament in the Asia Cup final on Sunday in Dubai.
