Pakistan submit defensive statement on Haris Rauf, Sahibzada Farhan's provocation vs India

The stage is set for a blockbuster encounter in the Asia Cup 2025 final as India and Pakistan gear up to face each other for the third time in the tournament. Ahead of the title clash, Pakistan head coach Mike Hession finally broke his silence on the controversy involving Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan.

Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan made provocative gestures during the Super Four clash between India and Pakistan in Dubai last week. The incident caused a massive uproar on social media, and it has now also been on both the ICC and the BCCI’s radar.

Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan face ICC hearing over provocative gestures in Super Four game against India

In the fiery Super Four game, Farhan celebrated his half-century with the gun-firing-in-the-air gesture, while Rauf added fuel to the fire by repeatedly signalling “6-0” towards the Indian crowd, referring to Pakistan’s controversial claim of shooting down six Indian fighter jets during Operation Sindoor.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

Not just that, the Pakistani fast bowler even mimicked how the jets were brought down, sparking outrage in India. Adding to the drama, Faheem Ashraf was also caught on camera making similar gestures during the same Super Four match.

The actions didn’t go unnoticed. The BCCI lodged a formal complaint with the match referee, Andy Pycroft, and the ICC, demanding accountability for what they described as inappropriate behavior. As a result, both Rauf and Farhan are set to appear before Richie Richardson on Friday for a hearing to decide if any sanctions will be imposed.

Mike Hesson downplays Haris Rauf-Sahibzada Farhan controversy

Amid the brewing storm, Mike Hesson tried to shift the focus back to cricket. The head coach stated that his job is to prepare the team for the Asia Cup 2025 Final and ensure they deliver their best on the field. Hesson insisted that this drama won’t distract Pakistan’s preparations.

Mike Hesson stated, “Look, my message is that we are focused on the cricket, and we certainly will be doing that. Those things, you probably know more about than I do. I deal with the cricket side.”

Read Also: Pakistan's Salman Agha asks India to come prepared in Asia Cup final

Mike Hesson says Pakistan deserves Asia Cup 2025 Final spot

The Pakistan coach also believes that his team has fully earned their place in the Asia Cup 2025 final. He also promised that Pakistan will come out swinging against India in the final on Sunday, September 28, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai to win the trophy.

Hesson added, “We have deserved this opportunity, so it's now up to us to make the most of it. We have been trying to be in a position to win the trophy.”

Well, Salman Ali Agha and his team enter the final as the underdogs, but Hesson believes that his side has every reason to feel optimistic after their strong fight against India in the Super Four clash.

However, he admitted that beating the world’s top-ranked side will demand something special, and his focus is on keeping India under pressure during the big game.

We are ready for a stronger battle in the final: Mike Hesson

He highlighted that the group match felt one-sided, but the Super Four clash told a different story. The coach further explained, “We have to be good enough to put India under pressure for longer because there is a reason why they are ranked the top side in the world. We have to put them under pressure, and that will be our challenge.”

Hesson signed off by saying, “I think the way we played against India in the last match was a huge step up from the first game. The first game was a bit passive; we allowed India to control the game. The last match we had, we had that game by the scruff of the neck for long periods, and it took an exceptional innings from Abhishek Sharma that took the game away from us.”

Read Also: Abhishek Sharma's aura killing ordered