Sahibzada Farhan and Virat Kohli - (Source: AFP)
For the first time in 41 years, India and Pakistan will lock horns in an Asia Cup final. The two teams will square off on Sunday, September 28, at the Dubai International Stadium. The two teams will meet for the third time in this edition, and a lot of fireworks are guaranteed in the upcoming encounter.
While the group-stage match was held in a more professional manner, the super four round saw the fire where tempers flared and heated words were exchanged between the two nations.
Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf came under scrutiny for their objectionable gestures, an issue that the BCCI raised with the ICC. Notably, Farhan celebrated his fifty with a bazooka firing celebration, while Haris Rauf mocked the Indian fans with a 'Crashing plane' gesture.
On Friday, September 26, the ICC held a meeting with Sahibzada Farhan, where the Pakistan opener defended his actions by stating that it is a common part of his culture at weddings. Also, Farhan mentioned Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni, saying that the two Indian cricketers have also performed such gestures in the past.
Meanwhile, this article will deep dive into his statement and point out why Farhan was absolutely wrong in his defence and why bringing in MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli was wrong in the conversation.
Virat Kohli's Gestures In IPL: Just A Reply To Rilee Roussou
Sahibada is correct in his assessment that several cricketers in past have celebrated personal milestones with a 'Bazooka celebration', but the list does not feature Virat Kohli. It feels that Farhan needs to work on his fainting memory and recall the 2014 IPL match between RCB and Punjab Kings.
Virat Kohli performed the gun celebration during the IPL 2024 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) on May 9, 2024. Firstly, it was never Virat who initiated it as Rilee Rossouw had celebrated his blistering half-century in the match with a notable "gunshot" gesture using his bat. Rossouw scored a rapid 61 from 27 balls, celebrating his fifty by mimicking shooting with a bat, a gesture aimed toward his team's dressing room.
Virat merely just gave it back to Rilee after the RCB star took the catch to dismiss South African batter. In the ninth over, Virat Kohli mimicked Rossouw’s gun celebration as a send-off to the Protean. Kohli’s action was widely interpreted as a playful but pointed reply to Rossouw’s earlier celebration, signifying both RCB’s upper hand at the moment and Kohli’s competitive spirit.
MS Dhoni's Love For the Indian Army
MS Dhoni’s iconic 'gun celebration' occurred on October 31, 2005, during an ODI against Sri Lanka in Jaipur, when he scored an unbeaten 183 runs—his highest ODI score. After reaching his century, Dhoni faced the crowd, raised his bat to his shoulder like a rifle, and made a firing gesture.
The action reflected Dhoni’s admiration for the Indian armed forces and was inspired by his deep patriotic sentiment. Further, for the unversed, years later, Dhoni was conferred an honorary rank as Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army, making this celebration even more meaningful.
When MSD performed the gesture, there was no context to the celebration. However, in Farhan's case, the match was played right after a war-like situation between India and Pakistan. Thus, pulling out such celebrations is bound to instigate Indian fans and put the Pakistani batter under the scanner, despite ill intentions or not.
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