Asia Cup: Sahibzada Farhan defends gun-fire celebration against India
**Sahibzada Farhan Defends Gun-Fire Celebration After Pakistan’s Loss to India**
*By Parth Dhall | Sep 22, 2025 | 05:11 pm*
Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has defended his controversial “gun-fire” celebration during the Super 4 clash against India in the 2025 T20 Asia Cup. The gesture, where he held his bat like an assault rifle and mimicked firing a gun, sparked widespread criticism across social media platforms. However, Farhan has clarified that the celebration was a spur-of-the-moment decision and not meant to target any specific opponent.
### Context
The India-Pakistan rivalry remains tense, especially after the recent Pahalgam terror attack in April. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, and Pakistan retaliated with drone attacks. Despite the strained relations, the Asia Cup schedule placed both teams in the same group—a decision that faced severe criticism and boycott calls ahead of the match.
The high-stakes contest inevitably stirred strong emotions, and Farhan’s celebration has now become one of several off-field controversies surrounding the encounter.
### Farhan’s Remarks on the Celebration
Addressing the backlash during a post-match press conference, Farhan said, “That (celebration) was just a moment at that time. I don’t usually do a lot of celebrations after scoring 50. But suddenly, it came to my mind that let’s have a celebration today.”
When asked about public reactions, he responded bluntly, “I don’t care” about how people perceive his actions. Farhan emphasized that his focus remains on playing aggressive cricket against every team in the tournament.
### Match Highlights
Despite Farhan’s efforts, Pakistan posted only 171/5 in their allotted 20 overs. Farhan’s crucial 58 off 45 balls was the team’s only half-century in the match, helping give Pakistan a fighting chance. However, India successfully chased the target in 18.5 overs to secure victory.
### Plans for Upcoming Matches
Following the loss, Farhan stressed the importance of Pakistan’s next games against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. To stay in contention for the final, Pakistan must win both matches.
He highlighted the need to utilize the Powerplay effectively and avoid losing early wickets. “The way we played in powerplays today, we did not give away early wickets,” he said. However, Farhan acknowledged the team’s middle-order collapse as an area requiring improvement in future matches.
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As the tournament progresses, Pakistan faces mounting pressure to rebound and prove their mettle on the field, while also navigating the off-field controversies that continue to capture public attention.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/asia-cup-sahibzada-farhan-mentions-his-50-celebration-against-india/story
