Irfan Pathan’s arrival on the Indian cricket scene felt like a breath of fresh air. A left-arm pacer with the ability to swing the ball beautifully, he also knew how to handle the bat. Over his career, Irfan Pathan played 29 Tests, 120 ODIs, and 24 T20Is for India.
But when it came to facing Pakistan, something always felt different. Fans will never forget his iconic hat-trick in Karachi in 2006 or the way he lit up the final of the 2007 T20 World Cup with a match-winning performance against Pakistan.
Shahid Afridi vs Irfan Pathan: A Rivalry That Went Beyond Cricket
Among all the Pakistani players, though, Irfan Pathan had a particularly intense rivalry with Shahid Afridi. In fact, he dismissed the former Pakistan captain 11 times. But it wasn’t just about cricket. Their tension extended beyond the field, and Irfan recently shared a surprising story that showed just how fiery things could get.
Speaking to Lallantop, Irfan Pathan recalled a moment during the 2006 tour when things got a little heated between him and Shahid Afridi, this time on a flight.
“During the 2006 tour, we were flying from Karachi to Lahore. Both teams were travelling together. Afridi came and put his hand on my head and messed up my hair. He asked me, ‘How are you kid?'” Irfan Pathan said.
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“I thought since when did you become my father. He behaved like a child. I was neither talking to him nor saying anything. After this Afridi said some bad things to me. His seat was near mine.”
The Dog Meat Comment That Left Afridi Speechless
That’s when Irfan Pathan decided to give it back to Shahid Afridi in a way that left him speechless.
“Pakistan allrounder Abdul Razzaq was sitting with me then. I asked him what kind of meat is available here. He told me meat of different animals are available. After this I asked whether dog meat is available. Razzaq was surprised to hear me and said, ‘Hey Irfan why are you saying this?” Pathan said.
“He (Afridi) has eaten dog meat, he has been barking for so long. After this Afridi could not say anything. If he said anything I would have said look he is barking more. After this he remained quiet for the entire flight. He understood from this incident that he would not be able to fight me verbally. That is why he never said anything to me again.”
It’s clear that while the battles on the field were intense, the off-field interactions between players had their own drama. Irfan Pathan was never one to back down when pushed too far.
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