"Needless, tells about their nature and upbringing": Irfan Pathan on Farhan, Rauf's controversial gestures against India

New Delhi [India], September 22 (ANI): Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan wasn’t surprised by Pakistan tearaway Haris Rauf and opener Sahibzada Farhan’s controversial gestures during their Super Fours fixture against India at the ongoing Asia Cup in Dubai. He believes their “needless” action served as a mere reflection of their nature and upbringing.

India staged a commanding six-wicket triumph over Pakistan by gunning down the 172-run target, courtesy of Abhishek Sharma (74) and Shubman Gill’s (47) blitzkrieg at the top. Pakistan’s provocative actions soon overshadowed India’s victory.

In the first innings, Farhan walloped the ball for a maximum to bring up his fifty in style. He pulled off a gun-shot celebration, a gesture many deemed insensitive considering the timing of it. Farhan’s celebration came in the backdrop of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, during which 26 tourists were killed on April 22.

Meanwhile, his compatriot Rauf gestured “0-6” towards the Indian spectators in response to those who teased him with chants of ‘Virat Kohli’. Farhan and Rauf’s reaction didn’t sit well with Pathan, who didn’t mince his words while lambasting them for their action.

“I want to talk about the celebrations a little bit. Sahibzada Farhan, you know the tensions between the two sides. Haris Rauf, for that matter, I thought that he was a decent person. I met him in Australia a few years back. The gestures he made in the field yesterday were needless. It tells about both of their nature and what upbringing they come from,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel.

“Play cricket in the field. To stoop down to a personal level is quite bad. And then you expect us not to talk about it, that is wrong. But I am not surprised at all. They are capable of doing these things. What you got to see on TV, that was bad itself, but the things that go on behind the scenes, the fans would be shocked if they got to know about it,” he added.

In the second innings, Rauf, who was stationed near the boundary rope, responded to the jeers from Indian spectators by lifting his fingers to indicate “0-6”. It was heavily linked as a reference to Pakistan’s groundless claims that they downed six Indian fighter jets during the four-day clash at the border after Operation Sindoor in May this year.

During the incident, Rauf was teased by the fans with the chants of “Virat Kohli”. Rauf’s reaction spread like wildfire, and videos of his gesture went viral on social media. The 31-year-old drew flak from numerous Indian fans, who trolled and lampooned him for his action.

Even though the talismanic Indian batter was absent from the fixture, considering he bid adieu to the format last year, Virat’s name was used to invoke the memory of the 2022 T20 World Cup fixture between the two nations at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). (ANI)

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