Pakistani batter Sahibzada Farhan also sparked debate with his 'gun salute' bat raise after a defiant fifty.
Parked at the boundary line during India’s innings in the Asia Cup Super Fours clash, Rauf responded to chants of 'Kohli, Kohli' from the Indian fans by flashing his fingers to signal '0-6' -- a pointed reference to Pakistan’s claim of shooting down six Indian fighter jets during Operation Sindoor earlier this year.
The Indian fans at the Dubai International Stadium invoked Kohli reminiscing his iconic MCG masterclass in 2022, even though the man himself has long exited the T20I stage.
Rauf's move set social media alight. Clips of the 31-year-old’s taunt went viral, drawing flak from Indian fans who wasted no time trolling him.
Rauf’s antics weren’t his only flashpoint. He also exchanged a few choice words with opener Abhishek Sharma.
Teammate Sahibzada Farhan also sparked debate with his 'gun salute' bat raise after a defiant fifty.
Indian fans were quick to brand the gestures as needless theatre from a side already under pressure.
On Sunday night, Pakistan managed to crawl their way to 171/5, their highest against India while batting first in T20Is. In reply, Abhishek (74) and Shubman Gill (47) raised a 105-run opening stand to pave the way for India's triumph.
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