Their Behaviour Shows Their Upbringing: Irfan Pathan On Haris Rauf, Sahibzada Farhan

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan launched a blistering attack on the Pakistan cricket team following India’s dominant Super Four victory in the Asia Cup 2025 on September 21 (Sunday). Chasing 172, Indian openers Abhishek Sharma (74 off 39) and Shubman Gill (47 off 28) put on 105 runs in just 9.5 overs, before Tilak Varma (30* off 19) guided India to a six-wicket win.

Pakistan’s senior seamers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf attempted to sledge the Indian batters but failed to back it up with their bowling. Afridi, who had previously conceded 23 runs in two overs during the group stage, went for 40 runs in 3.5 wicketless overs. Rauf fared slightly better, returning figures of 2/26 in four overs, but was unable to make a significant impact.

“India wins, India progresses. This is the magic of India. But yesterday we got to see a lot of aggression, a lot of banter, to the extent that Abhishek Sharma said in the post-match presentation that they said things they shouldn’t have. That’s why all the players said on social media, that you will keep talking, we will keep winning. It’s a straightforward message,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel, as reported by the Hindustan Times.

“Indian cricketers are never affected. We never say anything. We quietly play our cricket. But don’t think that we won’t respond if you say something, whether you’re Australian or Pakistani. We will answer. We will answer with our bat, and we will answer you.

“We never even talk in the media about how Pakistan lost, how they lost to Zimbabwe in World Cup 2022. I didn’t tweet, nor did anyone else, because it didn’t matter to anyone that you win or you lose. We analyse them properly, do proper detailing, but we don’t care.”

The tension between the two sides escalated after the group stage encounter ended without the customary handshake. In the Super Four match, Pakistan players Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf made controversial gestures.

Farhan celebrated his fifty with a gun gesture, while Rauf made a “6-0” hand signal to the Indian crowd, apparently referencing alleged Indian Air Force losses during Operation Sindoor - a claim with no real evidence.

“But if you mess with us, we won’t let you go. That has been our rule. What happened in the match yesterday, whether was that Farhan’s celebration, you know what is happening between our two countries, and you are doing that celebration,” Pathan added.

“Haris Rauf, I thought this boy was okay. When we spoke in Australia he sounded grateful. But the way he behaved yesterday, that was not necessary. How both these boys acted only tells us about their upbringing, where they come from and what they do.”