BCCI files official complaint with ICC against Rauf, Farhan

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has lodged an official complaint with the ICC against Pakistan's Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan for their on-field gestures during Sunday's Asia Cup Super Fours clash in Dubai.

It is learnt that the complaint, filed via email on Wednesday, has been received by the ICC. Should Rauf and Farhan deny the charges in writing, the matter could proceed to a hearing before match referee Richie Richardson. Andy Pycroft is serving as the other referee at the tournament.

Farhan's celebration after his half-century and Rauf's gesture towards a section of fans while fielding on the boundary line are understood to be the incidents in question, both of which have been widely circulated on social media.

India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate played down the issue when asked about the complaints.

"Let me first say, the amount of pressure that's been heaped on the players because of the situation, it's very difficult to control your behaviour," he said on Tuesday. "I did see some of the things Haris did and that's not our concern. We're proud of how the guys carried themselves."

Meanwhile, in an unconfirmed development, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is also believed to have filed a complaint against India captain Suryakumar Yadav for dedicating his team's September 14 win over Pakistan to "the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack" earlier this year.

The PCB has argued that Suryakumar's remarks were "political". The presentation ceremony after that match had already drawn attention for the lack of handshakes between players, fuelling what has since been dubbed "handshakegate."

Sunday's Super Fours fixture itself was a heated affair, with exchanges involving Pakistan quicks Shaheen Shah Afridi and Rauf and Indian openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill further intensifying the atmosphere.