I don’t care, says Sahibzada Farhan on gun-firing celebration

Playing the pantomime villain, Pakistan's remorseless opening batter Sahibzada Farhan said he doesn't "care about what people think" about the provocative gun-firing celebration he brought out during the Asia Cup match against India here.

India won the Super 4s match by six wickets to continue their stranglehold over the traditional rivals in multilateral tournaments, even as Farhan's gun-firing gesture in the air after reaching his half-century sparked a controversy.

"That celebration was just a moment at that time. I do not do a lot of celebrations after scoring 50. But, it suddenly came to my mind that let's do a celebration today. I did that. I don't know how people will take it. I don't care about that," Farhan told reporters after the match.

"And the rest, you know, you should play aggressive cricket wherever you play. It is not necessary that it is India. You should play aggressive cricket against every team, like we played today," he added.

Farhan scored 58 off 45 balls, his innings helping Pakistan post 171/5 in 20 overs, but India completed the game in the penultimate over of their run chase after Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill’s scintillating knocks on Sunday.

The 29-year-old Pakistani struck a six off Axar Patel in the 10th over to reach his fifty and then held his bat like a gun, firing shots in the air, an act that was viewed provocative by many on social media.

Farhan though admitted that his knock would have assumed significance if the side ended on the right side of the result.

"If I had won this match, it would have been very important for me. And yes, performing against India, you know, people highly rate it. So, I think if we had won, it would have been very good," he said.

The defeat against India has left them in a must-win situation against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, but Farhan is confident of Pakistan prevailing over the islanders and progressing to the finals.

"I think the way we played (against India), the way we batted, the boys are very confident. And regarding Sri Lanka, we will win the match. Because, it is a do-or-die match.

"Preparation is excellent. I think all the boys wish that we will meet them (India) in the finals.

"The way we were batting, the way we were bowling today, I mean, it was not a one-sided match. We took the match to the end and it was a good competition."

In the next game, the team is focused on utilising the power-play better and not lose wickets upfront, he said.

"I think in the last matches what we missed was that we were not utilising the power-play well. We were giving away early wickets. So, it is important for you, as a batsman, that you absorb the pressure, do the power-play well, and not give wickets.

"Our power-play was very good (against India) and we also had 90-something runs in 10 overs. We collapsed in the middle, and God willing, we will do that better (against Sri Lanka)," Farhan said.