Indian team management has filed an official complaint with the ICC against Pakistani cricketers Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan for provocative gestures during their teams’ Asia Cup 2025 Super Fours stage game in Dubai on September 21.

If Sahibzada and Rauf write down their denials of these accusations, an ICC hearing is anticipated. They may be required to appear for a hearing before Richie Richardson, the ICC Elite Panel Referee.

Haris Rauf had made jets-crashing gestures and made ‘6-0’ signs towards Indian fans, alluding to Pakistan’s unverified claim of downing 6 Indian Rafale jets during Operation Sindoor in May. Sahibzada, during the same match, celebrated with a gun-firing gesture using his bat as a machine gun prop, something that has been widely criticized.

Both Rauf and Sahibzada will have to explain their gestures at the ICC hearing, and if they can't convince, then they could face sanctions as per the code of conduct.

The Pakistan Cricket Board appears to have taken retaliatory action by filing an official complaint against Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav for expressing sympathy for the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and dedicating his team's victory to the Indian Armed Forces participating in Operation Sindoor. He made these remarks following the game on September 14.

PCB alleges that Surya's comments are "political," although technically it needs to be seen when exactly it filed the complaint, which needs to be lodged within seven days of the said comment.

Meanwhile, PCB chief and current ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi fueled the fire by posting a video of Portugal footballer Cristiano Ronaldo gesturing that an aircraft suddenly crashed, something that Rauf indicated on-field during the clash of arch-rivals last Sunday.

Apart from being the PCB chief and ACC chairman, Naqvi is also the interior minister of Pakistan and is known to make provocative statements against India.

(PTI inputs)