Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has once again stirred the pot with strong comments about India and the politics that surround India vs Pakistan cricket matches. Speaking on Samaa TV’s show Zor Ka Jor, Afridi accused India of hypocrisy, especially when it comes to deciding when and where to face Pakistan.
With the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash at the Asia Cup 2025 around the corner, Afridi didn’t hold back. Shahid Afridi said if India really doesn’t want to play against Pakistan, they should simply say so rather than hiding behind excuses about venues or tournaments.
Shahid Afridi takes a dig at Irfan Pathan
Shahid Afridi also appeared to target former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan with a fiery remark, though he didn’t take his name directly. He pointed out that some players, despite being loyal to their country from the start, are still questioned or sidelined unfairly.
The former all-rounder seemed to be hinting at the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 controversy, where a few Indian players, including Pathan, reportedly refused to play against Pakistan. Shahid Afridi criticized the fact that the same players are now happily commentating at the Asia Cup, where India and Pakistan are set to clash once again.
On live TV, Afridi said, “There is too much in India. There, people go as far as setting houses on fire and even threatening the players. There are some players who are still struggling to prove that they are Indians. These poor guys have been trying to prove themselves as Indian ever since they were born. And then, they shamelessly commentate in the Asia Cup 2025.”
Irfan Pathan hits back with old story
Not one to stay quiet, Irfan Pathan recently brought up an ugly past incident involving Afridi. Speaking in August 2025, Pathan recalled a heated clash with Afridi during a flight from Karachi to Lahore on India’s tour of Pakistan. The former Pakistan skipper had apparently called him a “kid” and even messed with his hair, which escalated into an argument.
Pathan revealed to the Times of India that Afridi had also used abusive words against him. He went on to say that despite the spat, he had the last laugh in his cricket career, taking 67 wickets and scoring 807 runs, including a century, for India.
Sharing the story, Pathan said, “Abdul Razzaq was sitting with me then. I asked him what kind of meat is available here. He told me about the different kinds of meat. Then I asked if dog meat was available. Afridi was sitting right there. Razzaq was shocked to hear this and said, ‘Hey Irfan, why are you saying this?’”
He added, “I said, ‘He (Afridi) has eaten dog meat; he has been barking for a long time.’ After that, Afridi couldn’t say anything.”
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