Sahibzada Farhan continues to spark controversy despite ICC warnings. The Pakistan batter, who faced widespread criticism for his gun-firing celebration during the Asia Cup clash against India, has reignited the debate by repeating the act during a recent promotional shoot. Images from the shoot quickly went viral, drawing renewed attention to his on-field antics.
Sahibzada Farhan during a recent promotional shoot.
The original incident occurred on September 21 at the Dubai International Stadium during the Super Four match between India and Pakistan. The game came just a week after tensions flared over the handshake controversy in the Asia Cup, and Farhan’s gun-firing celebration after reaching his fifty only added fuel to the fire. His teammate Haris Rauf also drew attention for repeatedly performing the “jet down” celebration to mock Indian players and fans. Both players were sanctioned by the ICC, with Rauf fined 30 percent of his match fees for aggressive behaviour, while Farhan received a formal warning. The ICC action came after the BCCI lodged a complaint against the pair. Despite this, Farhan seemed unfazed, maintaining that the celebration was spontaneous and part of his aggressive approach to cricket. “That was just a moment. I don’t usually celebrate after a fifty, but it suddenly came to my mind today. I don’t know how people will react, and frankly, I don’t care. Aggressive cricket should be played against every team, not just India,” he said. Interestingly, Farhan refrained from the celebration after scoring a fifty in the Asia Cup final on September 28, but India still emerged victorious, retaining the title. The repeated controversy highlights the batter’s tendency to court attention, keeping the spotlight firmly on him even off the field.
