Pakistan, India fans slam Mohsin Naqvi for using Ronaldo to make jet-downing gesture: 'Naqvi needs to behave like a professional'

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) president Mohsin Naqvi is facing criticism on social media for repeating Haris Rauf’s controversial gestures from the Super 4 match between India and Pakistan. The cricket administrator, who also heads the Asia Cricket Council (ACC), on Wednesday uploaded a video of Cristiano Ronaldo on his social media handle in which the football superstar can be seen making gestures of a plane crashing down.

With the video of Ronaldo, Naqvi is felt to be insinuating that Pakistan shot down six Indian fighter jets during the cross-border military conflict earlier this year after the Pahalgam terror attack in April. Both India and Pakistan engaged in military action after the former launched Operation Sindoor to avenge the loss of 25 Indian citizens in the attack in Pahalgam.

The military conflict eventually ended in a ceasefire after Pakistan approached India with a message of peace following the demolition of their multiple airbases. During the same conflict, Pakistan claimed that it shot down six Indian fighter jets, a claim which has still not been proven.

Nonetheless, Pakistan players have consistently used the gesture of a plane crashing down to mock the Indian team or fans. Pacer Rauf was seen making the same gesture repeatedly during the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 match in Dubai, which Pakistan lost by six wickets.

Pakistan, India fans slam Naqvi for jet-dowing gesture

However, the head of Pakistan cricket stooping to such depths and making similar gestures on social media is a new low. It was met with sharp criticism from cricket fans from India and Pakistan.

“Mohsin Naqvi Needs To Behave Like A Professional. He’s The PCB Chairman And President Of Asian Cricket Council Not Troll On Social Media,” A Pakistani cricket fan wrote on X.

Another Pakistani supporter said, “At this point, if someone told me that Mohsin Naqvi specifically ordered Pakistan’s cricketers to make war gestures during the India game, I’d believe them. If the sport has already been politicized, your response should never be to double down on the politicization further.”

Indian fans were furious to see Naqvi, the Interior Minister in Pakistan, trying to mock India by making unsubstantiated claims.

“ACC Chairman Mohsin Naqvi openly mocked India by putting this pic intentionally, this is unacceptable,” a fan said.

There’s a high possibility India will face Pakistan again in the Asia Cup 2025 final on Sunday, if the Men In Green beat Bangladesh on Thursday. And if that happens, we can see a whole lot more drama.