Pakistani cricketer Sahibzada Farhan found himself at the centre of controversy after scoring a half-century in the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash against India. Soon after reaching his fifty, Farhan celebrated by raising his bat and mimicking the act of firing a gun, the gesture was aimed towards the crowd or across the field. Farhan’s act was caught on camera and quickly went viral. 

The timing of Farhan’s gesture made it even more sensitive. Just a few months earlier, on April 22, 26 Indian tourists were killed in the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, carried out by militants from Pakistan. In this context, his imitation of firing a gun was widely condemned on social media as thoughtless and provocative.

In the current climate of strained diplomatic relations and recent military conflicts between the two nations, the gesture was seen as highly inappropriate for a sporting stage.

The incident increased tensions that were already high in the tournament. At the toss, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav refused to shake hands with his Pakistani counterpart Salman Ali Agha for the second time, highlighting the strained relations between the teams. In their earlier group-stage match, Indian players had also avoided handshakes, with Yadav dedicating that win to the Pahalgam victims and the armed forces.

India vs Pakistan: Farhan’s performance in super four clash

Farhan scored a quick 50 runs in 34 balls, hitting five fours and three sixes, and helped Pakistan reach 91 runs in the first 10 overs. But instead of his batting, it was his controversial celebration that grabbed most of the attention after the match.

ALSO READ

India vs Pakistan: Outrage on social media

On social media, fans and experts expressed disappointment, stressing that cricket should remain a sport that unites rather than divides. Many argued that such actions drag political conflict into the game, tarnishing its spirit of sportsmanship.

An X (formerly Twitter) user showed frustration, the user wrote, “These Pakistanis have shown their true colors on the field. Yesterday, Pakistani cricketers committed a disgraceful act during the tournament”.

Another user noted, “What else do you expect from them? They were once trained by Pak Army only… if anyone remembers”.

Even one user questioned “why are you watching this match, we are not”.

Another user shared similar sentiments, “India should have boycotted the match, hopefully icc will ban pakistan, the user wrote.

Families of the Pahalgam victims and opposition parties had called for India to boycott cricketing ties with Pakistan and urged the team to skip the game. Despite this, the Union government allowed the BCCI to go ahead, saying India would avoid bilateral series but still play in multilateral tournaments.

ALSO READ

This approach also fits with India’s goal of presenting itself as a welcoming host, especially with its bids for the 2032 Commonwealth Games and the 2036 Olympics.