Dubai: Having failed to match India’s performance and being outplayed in both matches of the Asia Cup, Pakistani cricketers gave vent to their frustrations by trying to sledge the opposition and taunting the Indian fans at Dubai International Stadium.
However, Pakistanis were outsmarted in their ‘non-cricketing’ activities, too.
A video which has gone viral on social media shows Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh making a fiery gesture.
Though the left-arm pacer failed to find a place in the playing XI, his gesture after the Asia Cup Super 4 clash against Pakistan on Sunday, was interpreted as a response to Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf’s provocative actions.
Arshdeep cooked rauf and we didn’t even notice…😭😭pic.twitter.com/IO8bIf8RZl
— B̷O̷D̷Y̷G̷U̷A̷R̷D̷ (@kohli_goat) September 23, 2025
Even as India were on course to handing Pakistan their 11th defeat in 14 T20 Internationals between the teams, Rauf seemed to suggest that Pakistan had struck down Indian jets during the four-day military conflict in May.
Irked by Indian fans’ ‘Kohli, Kohli’ chants – a reference of Virat hitting two crucial sixes in the 19th over off Rauf in the 2022 T20 World Cup at Dubai – the Pakistani pacer mimicked a fighter jet crashing and flashed a ‘6-0’ sign, as if to say that Pakistan had downed six Indian jets in May.
What kind of gestures is Haris Rauf making? Is it appropriate to play with players like this ? #INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/GGdAh80njp
— Hemant Rajaura (@hemantrajora_) September 21, 2025
The on-field sledging and aggression of Pakistan bowlers Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi, and
Opener Sahibzada Farhan had earlier pointed his bat like an AK-47 gun after reaching his fifty.
During India’s chase, Pakistani pace trump cards Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi did their best to provoke and disturb Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill’s concentration with some unnecessary words. However, the Indian openers answered them with their bats, taking on every Pakistani bowler to race to 100 in 8.4 overs, thereby setting the platform for a comfortable victory.
The Indian team, forced to play against Pakistan because of the government’s policy in multi-nation tournaments, despite a widespread call for boycotting the games, had made it clear that they would not engage in any courtesies with their rivals. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav didn’t shake hands with opposite number Salman Agha before the toss, neither did the players exchange greetings at the end of the two games.
Stung by India’s stand, Pakistan lodged a protest with ICC blaming match referee Andy Pycroft for taking India’s side in the handshake row.
They threatened to pull out of the tournament of Pycroft wasn’t removed from the tournament panel, but ICC refused to budge, and Pakistan ultimately took the field after a protest ahead of the UAE game.
