New Delhi: Pakistani cricket fans have found a new villain after Babar Azam. Pacer Haris Rauf has taken that crown after Pakistan’s Asia Cup final loss in Dubai on Sunday. They are predicting his promotion to the rank of Field Marshal.
“It is truly exhausting to share a country with Haris Rauf,” one viral post by X user Umair drew consensus from across the nation.
Rauf gave 50 runs in the all-important match.
Activist Ammar Ali Jan chimed in: “Poor captaincy, poor team strategy, terrible bowling by Haris. We didn’t just lose today. We handed this match to India.”
A Pakistani X user, Gulzar, had an alternate suggestion: “This PCB should be abolished and all the money should be handed over to the Edhi foundation. It can be used for the welfare of the poor and orphans of this country. Why are we wasting people’s time and energies while watching such nonsense?”
One X user, though, came to Rauf’s support.
“Rauf had the worst day, no doubt. But as always, one player will get all the abuse while the real issues stay untouched, wrong captain, clueless batting, dropped catches, missed runouts, barely winning the rest of the games. Truth is, this team beats itself before anyone else does,” they wrote.
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Heroes, villains and everything in between
If Rauf became the scapegoat of the evening, his teammate and fellow fast bowler Faheem Ashraf emerged as the unexpected darling. Ashraf gave Pakistan a real chance at defending the target against India after dismissing the in-form Abhishek Sharma cheaply.
“Who is Faheem Ashraf?” wrote X user Hassan.
“For the blind, he is the vision. For the hungry, he is the chef. For the thirsty, he is the water. If Faheem Ashraf thinks, I agree. If Faheem Ashraf speaks, I’m listening. If he has one fan, it is me. If he has no fans, I don’t exist.”
Hussain Talat, with his score of 2 runs, was hated, while Sahibzada Farhan, with his 50 off 35 balls, was adored.
An X user shared a picture of Pakistani coach, Mike Hesson, jotting something in a diary with the caption: “Dear diary, I am done with this”.
But amid all of this, Pakistanis were surprised at the drama that played out in the finals. Indian players, after winning the Asia Cup, refused to accept the trophy directly from the Asian Cricket Council chief and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The presentation ceremony stalled before officials quietly shifted the cup into India’s dressing room.
Spectators booed Naqvi, breaking into chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”.
Naqvi, left isolated and visibly uncomfortable, had earlier mocked India’s Operation Sindoor, sharpening the tensions. The Indian and Pakistani teams didn’t even come together for a toss before the match.
When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the victory “Operation Sindoor on the field”, Naqvi responded: “Dragging war into sport only exposes desperation and disgraces the very spirit of the game.”
X user Usman posted: Pakistan lost the final, but got the trophy. All thanks to Mohsin Naqvi. Haar ke jeetne walay ko baazigar kehte hain.
Echoing the sentiments of many, one Pakistani user wrote: “At this point, both need to just stop playing each other. These toddler tantrums are just out of control and embarrassing.”
(Edited by Ratan Priya)