ISLAMABAD: Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf ‘Rafale Hunter’ has once again become the centre of attention, this time for his “6-0” and plane-crash gestures during the high-voltage Asia Cup T20 Super Four clash against India in Dubai.

The gesture, widely shared on social media, sparked outrage among Indian fans and journalists. Videos from the stadium show Rauf signaling “6-0” towards the stands and then using hand movements emulating planes falling, a reference that many in India linked to Pakistan’s claim of downing six Indian fighter jets during the post-Pulwama military tensions, dubbed Operation Sindoor in some circles.

The controversy had already been brewing even before the match. On the eve of the contest, Pakistan players were seen chanting “6-0, 6-0” during a football training session at the ICC Academy in Dubai.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also admired Haris Rauf’s style. In his characteristic tone, he tweeted: “Haris gave India a fitting reply, keep them under pressure… Cricket matches will come and go, but India will never forget 0-6 till the end of times.”

Matters escalated further during the Pakistan-India encounter when Haris Rauf got into a heated exchange with Indian opener Abhishek Sharma. The altercation came after Shubman Gill smashed his first delivery of the over for a boundary. Umpires quickly stepped in to cool tempers, but the tension between the players remained visible throughout the over.

Rauf’s follow-up gestures at the boundary rope, however, drew the most attention. Indian media accused the Pakistani pacer of resorting to “provocative antics,” while fans across the border expressed anger online.

On social media, hashtags related to “6-0” trended, with fans hailing Rauf’s aggressive spirit and dubbing him the “Rafale Hunter.”