Nisshin, October 3,2026: Pakistan all-rounder Saim Ayub’s baby-cradle celebration after dismissing India’s 15-year-old opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi drew a strong reaction from Indian fans during the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket final at Korogi Sports Park on Saturday.
The incident occurred on the first delivery of the third over of India’s innings. Ayub bowled a length delivery just outside off stump, with Sooryavanshi attempting a reverse sweep.
The extra bounce caused the ball to glance off Sooryavanshi’s gloves and carry through to wicketkeeper Usman Khan.
After claiming the breakthrough, Ayub celebrated animatedly before making a baby-cradle gesture towards Sooryavanshi, who scored 15 off nine deliveries.
The celebration prompted criticism from sections of the Indian fanbase on social media, with some users posting abusive and derogatory comments directed at the Pakistan all-rounder.
One Indian fan on X, formerly Twitter, said Ayub needed to learn batting from Sooryavanshi, while another compared the teenager’s achievements at 15 with Ayub’s record at 25.
Sooryavanshi’s dismissal was Ayub’s only wicket of the match. He conceded 47 runs in his four overs as India posted 211 for six, with half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma.
Ayub also had a difficult outing in the field, dropping two catches, before scoring 22 off 29 balls during Pakistan’s unsuccessful chase.
Some Indian fans subsequently linked Ayub’s on-field performance to his earlier celebration, with one social media user claiming Pakistan had effectively lost the match after the cradle gesture.
Later in the Indian innings, Ayub was also subjected to hostile chanting and abuse from sections of the crowd while fielding near the boundary. A video of the incident subsequently circulated on social media.
Additional derogatory comments targeting Ayub were also posted by some Indian fans across social media platforms following the incident.
