The Asia Cup 2025 Super 4s clash between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium was already one of the most anticipated fixtures of the tournament. But beyond the cricket, it was fast bowler Haris Rauf who grabbed headlines for all the wrong reasons.

“Kohli Kohli” chants trigger heated response from Haris Rauf

The Pakistani pacer became the center of controversy when the crowd repeatedly chanted “Kohli Kohli” in his direction, reminding him of Virat Kohli’s famous straight sixes off his bowling during the 2022 T20 World Cup.

At first, Rauf tried to play it cool, cupping his ear as if ignoring the chants. However, moments later he reacted provocatively, gesturing like a crashing fighter jet before flashing a 6-0 hand signal. The gesture, widely interpreted as a reference to Pakistan’s unsubstantiated claim of downing six Indian jets during a past military face-off, was immediately criticized as unsportsmanlike.

While Rauf bowled with his usual pace and aggression, his antics became the talking point of the night. Instead of being remembered for his performance with the ball, the fighter jet gesture went viral and fuelled heated debates online. Many felt the bowler crossed a line by mixing political symbolism with sport, especially in a rivalry already steeped in emotion.

Here’s the video:

Indians chanting KOHLI KOHLI after seeing Haris Rauf 🤣🤣🤣#INDvPAK #AsiaCup2025 pic.twitter.com/zL7cRbopQM

— Vinesh Prabhu (@vlp1994) September 21, 2025

Fans teasing Haris Rauf ” Kohli Kohli” but his nonsense behaviour proving him the biggest clown 🤡.

This type of mockery made him famous in their country, which has nothing to do with cricket.#INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/geLPRwVj0J

— cricFusion Aashi (@cricket_x_Ashi) September 21, 2025

Also WATCH: Abhishek Sharma and Haris Rauf engage in heated altercation during IND vs PAK Super 4s Asia Cup 2025 clash

India’s openers seal commanding win against Pakistan

On the field, however, it was India who stamped their dominance yet again over their arch-rivals. Chasing 172 for victory, India’s openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill stitched a sensational 105-run partnership to put the defending champions in complete control. Sharma was the aggressor, hammering 74 runs off just 39 balls, while Gill played a composed knock of 54. Their stand effectively killed Pakistan’s hopes, setting the stage for a six-wicket win with seven balls to spare.

India’s batting depth once again proved decisive, as they calmly negotiated Pakistan’s late fightback attempts. The victory marked India’s second triumph over Pakistan in this edition of the Asia Cup, reinforcing their status as tournament favourites.

Earlier, Pakistan posted 171/5 after being asked to bat first. The innings had promise when Sahibzada Farhan (58 off 45) and Saim Ayub (21) added 72 runs for the second wicket, steering the team to 91/1 at the halfway stage. But India’s bowlers tightened their grip, drying up boundaries for six overs. Wickets of Ayub, Hussain Talat and Farhan in quick succession stalled momentum.

Late contributions from skipper Salman Ali Agha (17 not off 13) and Faheem Ashraf (unbeaten 20 off 8) added some respectability to the total. Yet, against India’s powerful batting order, the target proved insufficient.

Also WATCH: Abhishek Sharma pulls off a sensational catch to remove Saim Ayub in IND vs PAK Super 4 game