The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has lodged a formal complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) against Pakistan cricketers Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan pertaining to their on-field gestures during the Asia Cup Super Fours match in Dubai last Sunday.
According to media reports, the BCCI sent the complaint via email on Wednesday, and the ICC has officially received it. The specific incidents the BCCI complained about Farhan’s aggressive celebration after reaching his half-century and Rauf making a gesture toward a section of fans while fielding on the boundary, have been widely circulated across social media since the match.
If Farhan and Rauf choose to deny the allegations in writing, the ICC could convene a formal hearing to address the matter. The players would likely have to appear before match referee Richie Richardson, who is one of the two match referees assigned to the tournament.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also reportedly filed an official complaint with the ICC against India captain Suryakumar Yadav.
The PCB’s complaint stems from Yadav dedicating India’s victory over Pakistan in the group stage match on September 14 to “the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack” and to the Indian armed forces. The PCB has labeled the comments “political.”
Yadav had stated during the presentation ceremony after the first match, “Want to dedicate the win to all our armed forces who showed a lot of bravery. Hope they continue to inspire us all, and we give them more reasons on the ground whenever we get an opportunity to make them smile.”
That first encounter on September 14 generated significant controversy after the Indian captain did not shake hands with Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha at the toss, and Indian players avoided greeting the Pakistan squad after the game.
The Super Fours match itself, the second contest between the rivals this Asia Cup, also saw several intense moments, including heated exchanges between Pakistan fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Rauf, and India openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill.