UAE’s India-Pakistan fans want no more drama on the field

By K.R. Nayar
From Dubai International Stadium

Most cricket fans here, despite their patriotic feelings, are not appreciative of any of the acts, starting from no handshakes to the actions of players with a political connotation. In the UAE, India and Pakistan cricketers play together for various clubs and even live together in shared accommodation. Many Pakistanis and Indians are coaches, and they train youngsters from both countries. A Pakistan fan said in a video : “We find it all very funny, as in labour camps here you can see Indians and Pakistanis eating food from the same plate. I wish this tournament ends quickly without creating hatred between each other.”

 

Sahibzada Farhan's bat-as-gun style celebration. Photo: X

Off day was not an off for the media

 

Monday was the first no-play day of the tightly scheduled Asia Cup 2025. This time was used by players to recover, and some made visits to their friends or relatives living in Dubai. Those who benefitted the most were the staff and organisers, who have been working relentlessly to get everything done in the hot and humid weather in which this tournament is being held. However, there was no rest for the media, as stories continued to flow even past midnight.

 

Haris Rauf's 6-0 hand gesture. Photo: X

Bat as a gun and 6-0 hand gesture

 

Various interpretations of the happenings in the India-Pakistan match continued to emerge. Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf’s 6-0 hand gesture was interpreted as India’s six Air Force aircraft allegedly shot down during Operation Sindoor by Pakistan. Sahibzada Farhan’s bat-as-gun style celebration on completing his half-century was seen as too insensitive. Such an unusual celebration—converting a bat into an AK-47 gun—especially after the Pahalgam attack in India, where many innocents were gunned down by terrorists, evoked uproar. Adding to that, during the press conference on Monday prior to the Pakistan-Sri Lanka match, Farhan said he did not care how people perceived his act.

 

Racket abuse in cricket too?

 

There were calls for the ICC to interfere and take action against Rauf and Farhan. Following the India-Pakistan match, the ICC may now be forced to write down certain norms to be followed by teams in the future. The question is, can converting a bat into a gun result in a fine, just like racket abuse in tennis? If the ICC does want to take action on Farhan-type celebrations, one Pakistani remarked that hockey sticks being used as weapons in India’s Bollywood movie fight scenes should stop too.

 

Wasim Akram and Ravi Shastri during the Shaz and Waz show. Photo courtesy: Shaz and Waz show 

Days of Shaz and Waz show

 

A Pakistan fan’s observation was whether Rauf’s 6-0 hand gesture as India’s six Air Force aircraft being shot down should instead be interpreted as Rauf stating that Abhishek Sharma’s sixes were like Dhoni’s helicopter shots? When former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria stated that Abhishek and Gill launched Brahmos, many wondered what it was—only to find that it was a long-range, ramjet-powered supersonic cruise missile. Whatever the interpretations—Air Force jet, helicopter, or Brahmos—this Asia Cup has charred the relationship between India and Pakistan players, unlike in the past where they mixed and joked freely despite fighting hard on the field.

 

 Two of the commentators for the India-Pakistan match were Ravi Shastri and Wasim Akram. They had often come together in a cricket show called Shaz and Waz in 2004. Incidentally, Akram was given the nickname Waz by former Pakistan captain Imran Khan.

 

Pakistan fans before they entered the stadium for the India-Pakistan match. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

Following the Indian skipper’s statement that India-Pakistan matches are no longer a rivalry and that the contests between the two countries are now one-sided with India winning easily, this may mark the end of housewives and politicians commenting that they could have captained better in the match (even though they would have never held a bat in their lives)!