Haris Rauf was fined for making provocative gestures towards Indian fans, including mocking a crashing fighter jet. Both cricket boards had filed complaints, escalating tensions before the India-Pakistan final on Sunday.
New Delhi: Indian Cricket Team captain Suryakumar Yadav on Friday, September 26 was fined 30% of his match fee for remarks made following the September 14 clash in the Asia Cup 2025 against Pakistan. After India’s convincing victory, the Mumbai batsman had expressed solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and praised the Indian armed forces for their role in Operation Sindoor. Team India will reportedly file an appeal against the verdict. Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf was also fined 30% of his match fee for abuse and provocative gestures against Team India following the Super Four Clash on Sunday, September 21. Both the teams will square off in the final match on Sunday, which is expected to be a hotly-contested battle.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) heard Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) complaint against Team India on Thursday. “We stand by the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. This win is for our armed forces who showed immense bravery. We hope to keep inspiring them and giving them reasons to smile,” Suryakumar had said at the post-match presentation. The comment led to an ICC hearing presided over by Richie Richardson. Suryakumar attended the session along with Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI) COO Hemang Amin and Cricket Operations Manager Summer Mallapurkar. Notably, Suryakumar Yadav had also avoided handshakes with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha in two matches during the Asia Cup, triggering escalation. Pakistan had filed an official complaint and even threatened to pull out of the tournament.
ICC Takes Action Against Pakistan Pacer
BCCI had also officially complained to the International Cricket Council (ICC) against Pakistan players Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan for their conduct during Sunday’s Asia Cup Super Fours match in Dubai. Team India cited Farhan’s animated celebration using his bat as a gun after his half-century and Rauf’s boundary-line gestures toward Indian fans. During India’s run chase, the Pakistan pacer responded to Indian fans’ chants with a controversial ‘6-0’ gesture, a claim that six Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft were shot down during Operation Sindoor. He continued to mock the Indian Defence Forces by gesturing like a fighter jet crashing, doing it multiple times in front of an Indian crowd, who were jeering the Pakistan pacer. Both incidents quickly went viral, sparking debates on social media about whether these behaviour crossed the line.