Asia Cup 2025: Pakistan cricketer Sahibzada Farhan breaks silence on AK47 gesture against India

Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan played a crucial role in helping his side post a competitive total of 171 against India in the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 clash on Sunday. The 29-year-old steadied the innings with a composed knock of 58 off 45 deliveries before falling to Indian all-rounder Shivam Dube. While his half-century provided Pakistan with a much-needed platform, it was Farhan’s celebration after reaching the milestone that drew the most attention. Marking the occasion with a ‘gun gesture,’ he left fans divided—some stunned, others critical of the display.

Addressing the media on Monday ahead of Pakistan’s next Super 4 fixture against Sri Lanka, Farhan was asked about the celebration. He made it clear that he was unbothered by outside opinions, insisting it was a spur-of-the-moment expression.

“If you look at my six-hitting, you’ll see a lot more of that in the future,” Farhan said. “As for the celebration, it just came to me right then. Normally, I don’t celebrate much after a fifty, but this time I felt like doing something different. I don’t know how people interpret it, and frankly, I don’t care. What matters is playing aggressive cricket—not just against India, but against every team. That’s the approach we should always take.”

Must Read: Ind VS Pak Asia Cup 2025: Sahibzada Farhan’s ‘Gun’ celebration a response to handshake snub?

Shifting focus to Pakistan’s strategy against Sri Lanka, Farhan highlighted the importance of strong starts in the powerplay. He admitted that early wickets had been an issue in previous matches and stressed the need for improvement.

“In the last few games, our problem was not making the most of the powerplay and losing wickets upfront. It’s crucial to maximize those six overs while keeping wickets in hand. Against India, we managed that well and reached around 90 in the first 10 overs. Although we collapsed in the middle, that’s something we’ll look to correct moving forward,” he added.