The controversy surrounding Pakistan’s Asia Cup 2025 campaign refuses to die down, with fresh visuals now dragging another player into the storm. Just days after Haris Rauf’s provocative “6-0” gesture towards Indian fans sparked outrage during Sunday’s Super Four clash in Dubai, pace bowling all-rounder Faheem Ashraf has also been caught indulging in the same act.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!New viral footage from the India-Pakistan encounter shows Faheem, while fielding near the boundary, gesturing “6-0” with his fingers toward Indian supporters. This revelation has deepened the criticism of Pakistan’s players for mixing political and military references with cricketing contests.WATCH: Footage of Faheem Ashraf copying Haris Rauf’s controversial gestureRauf had already invited backlash after making fighter jet crash signals and the same “6-0” hand gesture, a reference linked by Pakistani media to unverified claims about downing six Indian jets during Operation Sindoor. He repeated it again after dismissing Sanju Samson for 13, further inflaming tensions. India, however, had the last laugh, winning the contest by six wickets and securing their second victory over Pakistan in the tournament.
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Should disciplinary action be taken against players for provocative gestures?
While the cricketing world continues to debate whether disciplinary action should be taken, India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate brushed off the incident on Tuesday. “Some of the things Haris did was not our concern. We fought with the bat and showed them our strength,” he said ahead of India’s next Super Fours clash against Bangladesh.
Pakistan captain Salman Agha, on the other hand, chose to avoid controversy, focusing instead on his team’s positives despite the defeat. “The batting was a lot better today, and that’s a positive. But to win, you have to excel in all three facets of the game,” Agha admitted.The gestures have, however, reignited discussions on sportsmanship in high-pressure rivalries, especially since Pakistan’s U-17 football team was also caught in a similar storm a day later. Striker Muhammad Abdullah’s “sipping tea” celebration against India in the SAFF U-17 Championship in Colombo was seen as a provocative nod to the 2019 Abhinandan episode, drawing mixed reactions online.
