India vs Pakistan: Haris Rauf plays pantomime villain, Abhishek Sharma gets last laugh in hostile encounter — Images

Pahalgam, Operation Sindoor, handshake-gate, on-field animosity – all of it came out between cricketers in Dubai, as the match delved into huge aggression.

Published on: Sep 22, 2025 4:02 PM IST

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1/10

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Published on Sep 22, 2025 4:02 PM

“This is not a rivalry anymore,” said Suryakumar Yadav in his press conference after India won a seventh consecutive match against Pakistan across formats. Haris Rauf had plenty of choice words for India right through the match, but as the men in blue crushed their rivals in the Asia Cup Super 4 match, it became clear that there is a very clear top dog in a one-sided matchup. (AFP)

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Published on Sep 22, 2025 4:02 PM

After last weekend's handshake-gate incident, there wasn't much change in formalities at the toss, as it was the total cold shoulder treatment from Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Agha towards one another. On this occasion, Agha did speak at the post-match presentation, marking the only change from how the match went last Sunday. (AP)

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Published on Sep 22, 2025 4:02 PM

The controversy started early on in the match: Fakhar Zaman was dismissed early after a fast start, but thought the ball hadn't carried to Sanju Samson. Fakhar walked off, while Pakistan coach Mike Hesson reacted with similar displeasure. (Screengrab)

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Published on Sep 22, 2025 4:02 PM

The Indian players seemed quietly confident throughout despite some sloppiness in the field and a few wickets falling. While all the noise seemed to be coming from the Pakistan players. it was India who got the business done right through the match. (REUTERS)

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Published on Sep 22, 2025 4:02 PM

Abhishek whacked a first-ball six off Shaheen Afridi before hearing some chatter, and hurled back some choice expletives of his own. All downhill from there as all Pakistan batters tried to get involved, mainly Haris Rauf, forcing the umpires to separate him from the Indian openers. No backing down in terms of talk from Gill and Abhishek, though, or in their play: it took them only 59 balls for a 105-run partnership to settle the game early. (AFP)

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Published on Sep 22, 2025 4:02 PM

L for last laugh? Abhishek Sharma put up a belligerent 74 in just 39 deliveries, whacking five sixes that made the Pakistan supporters quieter and quieter, the Indian faithful louder and louder. “The way they were coming at us without any reason, I didn't like it at all,” said Abhishek as he accepted his player of the match award. (HT_PRINT)

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Published on Sep 22, 2025 4:02 PM

Haris Rauf did admittedly bowl well for figures of 2/26, but the wickets of Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson were too little too late. His teammates couldn't match his effort, and in the end his taunting of the Indian batters didn't have much to show for it. (REUTERS)

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Published on Sep 22, 2025 4:02 PM

A despondent Salman Agha walks off across a determinded Hardik Pandya. It felt like a question of mentality: India let their cricket do the talking, while Pakistan couldn't walk their talk when it mattered most. (AFP)

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Published on Sep 22, 2025 4:02 PM

“You talk, we win” was the message the likes of Abhishek Sharma and Jitesh Sharma sent to Pakistan on social media after Tilak Varma's late flourish took India home. India now cruising towards the finals, while Pakistan need to avoid a loss against Sri Lanka or Bangladesh. (Creimas/Asian Cricket Council)

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Published on Sep 22, 2025 4:02 PM

Haris Rauf got into it with the India-leaning crowd as well: as they cheered ‘Kohli, Kohli’ at him to remind him of how he was taken down in that famous match at the MCG, his response was less than classy, throwing up six fingers to continue the dubious claim that his country's military had shot down six Indian fighter jets during Operation Sindoor while taking no damage themselves. (AFP)