The India–Pakistan rivalry rarely stays confined to the field. Old wounds often reopen, and this time, it’s two familiar names, Shahid Afridi and Irfan Pathan, trading barbs once again. The rivalry between Afridi and Pathan has been renewed once again. What began as an on-field battle years ago is now being fought through interviews and social media clips. A new video of Afridi has surfaced where he directly challenged the former Indian all-rounder to confront him in person instead of speaking from a distance.
Afridi throws a challenge to Pathan
In recent weeks, Pathan recounted on Lallantop how Afridi had pulled his hair on a flight from Karachi to Lahore, called him a “kid,” and later went quiet when mocked in front of Abdul Razzaq. His version of the story quickly went viral on social media. Afridi, however, has hit back, denying the account altogether and going as far as to challenge Pathan to say it to his face.
Speaking on a Pakistani TV channel, Afridi said, “Main usko mard manta hu jo samne khada hoke baat kare. Peeth peeche itni baat karni hain, lekin manu usko hi jo samne aake baat kare. Phir maja ayega na, jawab bhi de sake banda (I believe them as competitors who can talk face to face. Anyone can talk behind the back, but I only like to face those who can talk in front of me. That would spice things up. I can also give the perfect reply).”
Afridi even roped in Abdul Razzaq’s name, saying the former teammate confirmed no such exchange about “dog meat” ever happened. Afridi did not stop there. He accused Irfan of trying too hard to prove himself as patriotic. “I think he is just trying to show how great an Indian he is. Poor guy, he will spend his whole life doing that,” Afridi said. He also claimed that India only picked Pathan in that era because the team lacked fast bowlers. “He should be thankful India had no pace. Bowlers of 120-125 speed got a chance to play,” Afridi added.
For Pathan, the on-field numbers still speak loudly. He dismissed Afridi nine times in 154 deliveries across formats. This means an average of a dismissal every 17 balls. With tensions already high following the recent “handshake row” in the Asia Cup, the India vs Pakistan rivalry is at all time high (off the field).
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