BCCI files complaint against Pakistan players over controversial Asia Cup gestures

The BCCI’s grievance reportedly centres on Farhan’s celebration after reaching his half-century and Rauf’s gestures toward a segment of fans while fielding near the boundary.

Both incidents went viral on social media immediately after the match, sparking widespread debate and criticism.

The Independent has reached out to the BCCI and ICC for a comment.

Rauf gestured a “6-0” with his fingers, alluding to Pakistan’s claim that six Indian fighter jets were shot down during Operation Sindoor – a military operation launched by India against Pakistan earlier this year.

And 28-year-old Farhan, celebrating his half-century, pretended to fire an AK-47 using his bat, a move that immediately sparked reactions from both spectators and commentators.

If Rauf and Farhan formally deny the allegations, the ICC could hold a hearing, potentially requiring them to appear before match referee Richie Richardson, with Andy Pycroft serving as the other tournament official.

Reacting to the gestures, India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate acknowledged the pressures players face under such circumstances.

“Let me first say, the amount of pressure that’s been heaped on the players because of the situation, it’s very difficult to control your behaviour,” he said on Tuesday.

He added: “I did see some of the things Haris did and that’s not our concern. Like I said earlier, we’re really proud of how the guys carried themselves. They fought fire with their bats on the field. Other teams may have had issues with some of the things we’ve done. But from our side, we’re proud of how the guys have carried themselves.”

In a reciprocal move, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly filed an official complaint with the ICC against India captain Suryakumar Yadav, according to the Times of India.

The allegation stems from Suryakumar dedicating India’s first-round victory over Pakistan on 14 September to “the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack” in April this year.

The PCB termed the remarks “political”, reportedly noting that they contributed to cross-border tensions.

During the post-match presentation, Suryakumar had said: “Want to dedicate the win to all our armed forces who showed a lot of bravery. Hope they continue to inspire us all, and we give them more reasons on the ground whenever we get an opportunity to make them smile.”

The match had already seen strained interactions, including the captains skipping the handshake at the toss and players avoiding customary greetings after the game.

Sunday’s Super Fours fixture, marking the second encounter between India and Pakistan in this Asia Cup edition, also witnessed heated exchanges between Pakistan pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf and India openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, further intensifying tensions on the field.

The handshake row resurfaced on Sunday with Yadav once again refusing to shake hands with his Pakistani counterpart Salman Agha at the toss. After India’s six-wicket win on Sunday, Indian batters once again walked straight to their dressing room instead of shaking hands with their opponents.

Meanwhile, in its letter to the ICC, the board said that 14 September remarks by Yadav “involved the game in politics and damaged its reputation”, Pakistan’s Geo TV reported.

The complaint reportedly argued that the ICC’s code of conduct was fully applicable to the 14 September clash and claimed that Yadav had intentionally referred to the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor during his post-match comments.

The PCB maintained that such remarks were inconsistent with the spirit of the game and should not go unpunished, the outlet reported.

The Independent has reached out to PCB for comment.

PCB had earlier also asked ICC to remove the match referee, Andy Pycroft.

The PCB’s letter also reportedly pointed out that the ICC has previously ruled slogans like “Free Gaza” and “Freedom is a Human Right” to be breaches of the code, drawing a parallel to the Indian skipper’s statements.

The PCB has warned that if action was not taken, “the cricket field would risk becoming a political arena”.

According to Cricbuzz, the ICC has set hearings for both BCCI and PCB complaints for 25 September.

Indian forces killed three Pakistanis involved in the April attack on Hindu tourists in the Jammu and Kashmir federal territory in which 26 men were shot dead. The attackers, who New Delhi said were Pakistani nationals backed by Islamabad, had opened fire in a valley popular with tourists in Kashmir's scenic, mountainous region of Pahalgam, before fleeing into the surrounding pine forests. Pakistan has denied involvement in the attack - the worst assault on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks - and sought an independent investigation.

The Himalayan region of Kashmir is at the heart of the hostility between India and Pakistan, who have fought two of their three wars over the region, which they both claim in full but rule in part. New Delhi accuses Islamabad of helping Islamist separatists battling security forces in its part of Kashmir, but Pakistan says it only provides diplomatic and moral support to Kashmiris seeking self determination.