**Sahibzada Farhan Defends Gun-Fire Celebration After Pakistan’s Loss to India**
*By Parth Dhall | September 22, 2025, 05:11 PM*
Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has come under fire for his controversial ‘gun-fire’ celebration during the Super 4 clash against India in the 2025 T20 Asia Cup. The gesture saw Farhan holding his bat like an assault rifle and mimicking a gun-firing action, which sparked widespread criticism across social media platforms.
### The Controversial Celebration
Following the match, Farhan addressed the backlash in a press conference. He explained that the celebration was “just a moment at that time” and not premeditated. “I don’t do a lot of celebrations after scoring 50, but it suddenly came to my mind that let’s have a celebration today,” he stated.
When asked about the negative responses, Farhan was unapologetic, saying, “I don’t care” about how people perceived his actions. He emphasized his commitment to playing aggressive cricket against every opposition team.
### Political Context Adds Fuel to the Fire
This incident comes amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the tragic Pahalgam terror attack in April. India responded with Operation Sindoor, while Pakistan retaliated with drone attacks. Despite the strained relations, the Asia Cup organizers placed India and Pakistan in the same group—a decision that faced strong criticism and led to boycott calls ahead of the match.
The on-field clash, therefore, was overshadowed by multiple off-field controversies, with Farhan’s celebration adding to the growing list.
### Match Highlights
In the match, Farhan scored a vital 58 runs off 45 balls, the only half-century for Pakistan, helping the team post a total of 171/5 in their 20 overs. Despite his efforts, Pakistan fell short as India successfully chased down the target in 18.5 overs.
### Looking Ahead: Pakistan’s Plans to Bounce Back
Reflecting on Pakistan’s performance, Farhan highlighted the importance of improving in key areas. “The way we played in powerplays today, we did not give away early wickets,” he said. He also acknowledged the need to address the middle-order collapse that cost Pakistan dearly.
With the loss to India, Pakistan now must win their remaining matches against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to keep their hopes alive for a spot in the final. Farhan expressed confidence that the team will work hard on their shortcomings to come back stronger.
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Stay tuned for more updates on the 2025 T20 Asia Cup as the tournament progresses.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/asia-cup-sahibzada-farhan-mentions-his-50-celebration-against-india/story