The Asia Cup has once again become a stage for political posturing rather than cricket. Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi has sparked outrage after posting a video of Cristiano Ronaldo making a fighter-jet gesture. The act is being seen as a deliberate provocation and an attempt to legitimise behaviour that has already drawn heavy criticism.
Mohsin Naqvi Tweet
This comes on the heels of Haris Rauf’s controversial ‘6-0’ and fighter-jet gesture during the Super Four clash against India in Dubai. Rauf’s actions, aimed at Indian fans chanting “Kohli, Kohli,” were slammed across social media as cheap, classless, and unbecoming of an international cricketer. Adding to the embarrassment, Sahibzada Farhan mimicked firing a gun with his bat, showing how quickly Pakistan’s players turned a sporting contest into a theatre of political provocation. Instead of calming matters, Naqvi has only worsened the situation. A board chairman using Ronaldo’s image to back such behaviour has shocked fans, who expect administrators to rise above pettiness. Pakistan cricket, instead of focusing on its on-field struggles, is hiding behind provocative symbolism that damages the spirit of the game. While Pakistan wrestles with controversy, India have done their talking on the pitch. Abhishek Sharma’s sparkling 75 set up a strong total, and Kuldeep Yadav alongside Varun Chakravarthy dismantled Bangladesh to seal a 41-run win on Tuesday. With this result, India stormed into the Asia Cup final, knocking out Sri Lanka and leaving Pakistan to battle Bangladesh in a virtual semifinal for the remaining spot. Naqvi’s actions, however, have ensured that Pakistan’s cricket remains in the headlines for the wrong reasons.
