Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has strongly criticized Pakistani players Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan for their provocative behavior during the Asia Cup Super Four match against India.
On September 21, Farhan celebrated reaching a hundred with a gun gesture, while Rauf, fielding near the boundary, mimicked fighter jets descending – actions widely seen as taunting Indian supporters.
‘It tells about…what upbringing they come from’
Speaking on his YouTube channel on Monday night, Pathan condemned the duo’s conduct, calling it immature and saying he was not surprised by such antics. He added that these incidents were just the beginning of a pattern he has observed from Pakistan in international cricket.
“I want to talk about the celebrations a little bit. Sahibzada Farhan, you know the tensions between the two sides. Haris Rauf for that matter, I thought that he was a decent bloke. I met him in Australia a few years back. The gestures he made in the field yesterday they were needless. It tells about both of their nature, and what upbringing they come from,” Irfan Pathan said.
“Play cricket in the field. To stoop down to a personal level is quite bad. And then you expect us to not talk about it, that is wrong. But I am not surprised at all. They are capable of doing these things. What you got to see on TV, that was bad itself, but the things that go on behind the scenes, the fans would be shocked if they get to know about it,” he added in his video
During the match, Rauf and Farhan also used verbal taunts aimed at disturbing Indian openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill. However, their attempts backfired, as the Indian duo forged a quick 100-run partnership in just 8.4 overs.
Pathan further commented that Pakistan often instigates conflicts on the field and later criticizes the opposing team’s mentality. He also mocked Shahid Afridi, who had recently accused him of lying in an interview.
