Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan’s ‘AK-47’ gunshot celebration after his fifty against India in the Asia Cup 2025 caused controversy. Farhan defended it post-match, calling it spontaneous and saying he doesn’t care how people perceive the gesture.
Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan broke his silence on his controversial celebration in the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 clash against Team India at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, September 21. Putting to bat first, Pakistan posted a total of 171/5 in 20 overs before the Men in Blue chased down the 172-run target with seven balls to spare, thanks to Abhishek Sharma’s blistering 74-run knock, which powered India to a commanding six-wicket win.
Sahibzada Farhan was a star performer for Pakistan as he played a knock of 58 off 45 balls to help the Men in Green post a respectable total on the board. However, what caught the attention was his controversial celebration after completing his first fifty of the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.
As soon as Farhan reached his half-century by hitting a six off Axar Patel’s delivery, Pakistan opener celebrated by mimicking a gunshot gesture with his bat, and the act is widely called ‘AK 47’ salute.
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Sahibzada Farhan’s gunshot celebration or AK-47 salute sparked an intense debate on social media, especially among Indian cricket fans, who viewed it as a mockery of Team India, linking it to the earlier handshake controversy and Pahalgam terror attack victims.
Sahibzada Farhan on his Gunshot Celebration
Sahibzada Farhan’s gunshot celebration sparked a massive controversy as many deemed it insensitive and provocative. Given the intensity of the clash following the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s handshake snub, the gesture was seen as adding fuel to an already charged atmosphere.
Speaking at the press conference after Pakistan’s defeat, Sahibzada Farhan clarified that it was a spontaneous celebration after completing his fifty, and he does not care about how people perceive it. He added that his aggressive batting was not just against India but also against any other team.
“I think, if you talk about the sixes, you will see that (a lot) in the future. And that (celebration) was just a moment at that time. I do not do a lot of celebrations after scoring 50. But, it suddenly came to my mind that let’s do a celebration today. I did that. I don’t know how people will take it. I don’t care about that,” Farhan said.
“And the rest, you know, you should play aggressive cricket wherever you play. It is not necessary that it is India. You should play aggressive cricket against every team, like we played today,” he added.
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Before his fifty against Team India in the Super 4 clash, Sahibzada Farhan had an inconsistent run of form, scoring 21, 8, 18, 16, 0, 29, 40, and 5, and amassed just 137 runs in eight innings, highlighting his struggles leading into the match.
Though Sahibzada Farhan scored a fifty in a crucial match against Team India, Pakistan still fell short of defending their total, losing by six wickets in a dominant batting display by the Men in Blue.
Will Farhan face further scrutiny for his controversial celebration?
Pakistan players’ behaviour, especially Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi, and Sahibzada Farhan’s gunshot celebration after completing his fifty against Team India, have become a topic of debate. While Team India played with certain dignity, given the intensity and scrutiny of the clash, Pakistan’s celebrations, including Farhan’s controversial celebration, sparked widespread criticism and debate on sportsmanship and on-field conduct.
Pakistan are often known for their emotionally charged celebrations on the field, which, at times, overshadow the spirit of the game and invite criticism from fans. Sahibzada Farhan pulled out a controversial celebration for the first time in his career after completing his fifty, and it came against Team India, drawing sharp reactions from fans who felt it was unnecessary and disrespectful given the high-voltage context of the match.
After Pakistan’s yet another humiliating defeat at the hands of Team India, Sahibzada Farhan’s celebration has continued to remain one of the most talked-about moments, drawing criticism for being inappropriate amid Pakistan’s poor performance and India’s dominant win.
With Pakistan playing Sri Lanka in their second Super 4 clash at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Tuesday, September 23, it remains to be seen whether the Men in Green can move past the drama and put up a strong performance against Sri Lanka.