Haris Rauf, Suryakumar Yadav Fined for Code of Conduct Breaches in Heated Asia Cup Clash

Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has been fined 30% of his match fee for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the Super Four clash against India in the Asia Cup on September 21, held in Dubai. The penalty mirrors the one handed to India captain Suryakumar Yadav for a similar offense earlier in the tournament.

The ICC sanction, handed down by match referee Richie Richardson, was a result of inappropriate on-field gestures made by Rauf in response to heckling from Indian fans. The fast bowler was seen signaling “6-0” and mimicking aircraft being shot down—gestures widely interpreted as referencing the recent military conflict between India and Pakistan in May this year.

Pakistan batter Sahibzada Farhan, who celebrated his half-century by mimicking a gunshot, received only a warning and was not fined.

Suryakumar Yadav, meanwhile, was fined 30% of his match fee after making post-match comments on September 14 that alluded to the same geopolitical tensions. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had lodged a complaint against Rauf and Farhan, while the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had filed one against Yadav. All three players pleaded not guilty, prompting individual hearings with Richardson.

The incident is the latest in a string of flashpoints during an emotionally charged Asia Cup. The group-stage match on September 14—won by India by seven wickets—saw the Indian team refuse to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts both at the toss and after the game, further escalating tensions.

In the Super Four match, tempers again flared, with visible confrontations between Pakistan’s bowlers and India’s openers. After the game, Indian opener Abhishek Sharma accused Pakistan of “coming at us for no reason.”

The rivalry is set to culminate in a high-stakes Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan on Sunday, September 28, in Dubai—marking the third meeting between the arch-rivals in the tournament.