Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has reportedly decided to personally pay fast bowler Haris Rauf’s fine imposed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) following the heated Pakistan-India Asia Cup clash in Dubai.
Rauf was docked 30% of his match fee for using “abusive language” during the high-voltage September 21 encounter. The incident occurred in the fifth over of India’s innings, when Rauf exchanged words with Indian openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill. Later, fielding near the boundary, Rauf also gestured towards Indian spectators, referencing Pakistan’s downing of six Indian jets during a past border clash.
Meanwhile, his teammate Sahibzada Farhan escaped with a warning for his celebratory gunshot gesture after scoring a half-century in the same match. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) lodged a formal complaint with the ICC and match referee Andy Pycroft, citing “unacceptable conduct” by the Pakistani players.
Despite the penalties, Naqvi has extended full support to his players, pledging to cover Rauf’s fine personally. Local media reported that the PCB chairman took the decision to show solidarity with the pacer after the tense game, which India won by six wickets.
Abhishek Sharma, speaking in the post-match presentation, accused Pakistan players of “coming at us for no reason,” further intensifying the rivalry narrative.
The developments have once again highlighted the political and emotional undertones of the Pakistan-India cricket rivalry, where on-field gestures often echo decades of off-field tensions.
With the Asia Cup still underway, the PCB has urged players to remain focused on cricket, while reiterating its support for the squad in the face of mounting pressure from across the border.