‘I do not do a lot of celebrations after scoring 50. But, it suddenly came to my mind that let's do a celebration today. I did that. I don't know how people will take it. I don't care about that’
Sahibzada Farhan anchored Pakistan’s innings against India with 58 runs on Sunday, but his unconventional celebration drew more attention than the runs themselves.
Farhan scored a composed 58 off 45 balls, providing stability in the middle before being dismissed by India all-rounder Shivam Dube.
While his half-century gave Pakistan a solid foundation, it was his celebration after reaching the milestone that became the talk of the tournament. After crossing the 50-run mark, Farhan celebrated with a ‘gun gesture,’ leaving fans stunned and sparking widespread criticism on social media.
Speaking at the press conference on Monday, ahead of Pakistan’s second Super 4 match against Sri Lanka, Farhan addressed the controversy. The 29-year-old made it clear that he wasn’t concerned about public opinion, insisting the celebration was simply a spur-of-the-moment decision.
‘I think, if you talk about the sixes, you will see that (a lot) in the future. And that (celebration) was just a moment at that time. I do not do a lot of celebrations after scoring 50. But, it suddenly came to my mind that let's do a celebration today. I did that. I don't know how people will take it. I don't care about that. And the rest, you know, you should play aggressive cricket wherever you play. It is not necessary that it is India. You should play aggressive cricket against every team, like we played today,’ he said in response to questions about the gesture.
Despite his effort, Pakistan’s innings ultimately fell short, and India chased down the target to win by six wickets.
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