During a hearing in Dubai, an interesting exchange took place when Pakistani fast bowler Haris Rauf was questioned about his “0-6 gesture.”
The match referee began by asking:
“Can you explain what that gesture meant?”
Haris Rauf smiled calmly and replied:
“Why don’t you tell me what ‘0-6’ could possibly mean? It’s not even a standard cricket term.”
Hearing this, a few people in the room chuckled, but the referee stayed silent. At this point, Richie Richardson stepped in and said:
“Look, you made that gesture several times. The Indian board believes it pointed towards something else, and that’s why they have raised an objection.”
Haris responded with confidence:
“If the Indian board has an issue, then they should explain what they think it meant. As far as I’m concerned, my intention was clear—I only did it to entertain the fans. If someone wants to give it another meaning, that’s their imagination, not mine.”
Richardson then added:
“It seems like your gesture was not just for the fans, but was hinting at something else.”
Haris firmly replied:
“Stop making assumptions. Either you or the Indian board should tell me exactly what I was referring to. If you have proof, bring it forward. Otherwise, questions based only on guesswork don’t make sense.”
The referee pressed further:
“If it was so unimportant, then why did you repeat it so many times?”
Haris explained in a confident tone:
“It was just like when players clap or signal the crowd to cheer louder. My only purpose was to add energy to the stadium atmosphere. Nothing personal, nothing political. This is cricket, not politics.”
At this point, Sahibzada Farhan also spoke up in his teammate’s defense:
“We are players. Our job is to keep the game exciting, not to get involved in controversies. Connecting with fans and making them happy is part of the sport. Looking at it from any other angle is unfair.”
In the end, despite some tense moments, the hearing concluded smoothly. Haris Rauf once again made it clear that his “0-6” gesture was meant only for the cricket fans—and nothing more.