Asia Cup 2025: Rauf, Suryakumar likely to be fined

Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf and India skipper Suryakumar Yadav are likely to be fined 30% of their match fees by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

While the penalty on Suryakumar is pertaining to his comments dedicating India’s seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in a Group-A fixture of the Asia Cup to the armed forces and victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, Rauf may be punished for depicting the downing of aircraft in seeming reference to the military conflict in May during Pakistan’s six-wicket defeat in the Super Four clash last Sunday (September 21, 2025).

Rauf’s ICC hearing was conducted by match referee Andy Pycroft on Friday (September 26, 2025). There was also a hearing against Sahibzada Farhan, who celebrated his half-century in the Super Four game with a machine-gun gesture, but it remains unclear whether the opener’s gesture will invoke a sanction.

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Mr. Suryakumar pleaded not guilty to the charge and was apparently told not to make any statement that could be construed as political in the remainder of the tournament.

Suryakumar’s hearing was conducted by match referee Richie Richardson on Thursday (September 25, 2025). “We stand with all the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and their families. We dedicate this win to the armed forces,” the India captain had said at the presentation ceremony and the media conference after the match.

The Pakistan Cricket Board had officially objected against Suryakumar’s “political remarks”. After the second meeting between the two sides, the Board of Control for Cricket in India also made complaints to the ICC against “provocative gestures” by Rauf and Farhan.

India will face Pakistan in Sunday’s (September 28, 2025) Asia Cup final for the first time in the tournament’s 41-year history.

(with inputs from PTI)