The former captain of the Pakistan side, Shahid Afridi, has expressed his disappointment with Afghanistan’s cricket team, reckoning that it was regrettable that the country seemed to have forgotten the support of Pakistan. He also highlighted their decade-long support, including hosting millions of refugees and providing direct help to the families in need.

Afridi’s comment on the Pakistan media came after the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) decided to boycott their upcoming T20I tri-series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Even their captain, Rashid Khan, has removed the Lahore Qalandars franchise’s name that he played for in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

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“I didn’t expect it to be like this. For the past 50-60 years, we have been taking care of them. I personally look after nearly 350 Afghan families in Karachi. I believe that both are neighboring countries, and our message has always been to the people of Afghanistan that both sides should cooperate because we are Muslim countries.” Afridi expressed during a recent interaction.

Watch: Shahid Afridi slams Afghanistan for forgetting Pakistan’s contribution

Afridi urged the Afghan leaders to preserve their relationship and prevent outsiders from exploiting the land of Pakistan. However, he didn’t mention India’s name here. After ACB decided to boycott the tri-series, the PCB exchanged them with Zimbabwe, playing the series.

 

 

 

 

 

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“It’s regrettable that instead of sitting down and discussing things directly, you went and shook hands with those who have been involved in terrorism inside Pakistan for a long time. We have always welcomed you, provided you with a place, and people have lived, worked, and done business here. It’s unfortunate that you went and shook hands with those who are carrying out terrorism inside our country.” Afridi addressed the discussion.

“In response to this tragic incident and as a gesture of respect to the victims, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series involving Pakistan, scheduled to be played in late November. The Afghanistan Cricket Board expresses its deepest sorrow and grief over the tragic martyrdom of the brave cricketers from Urgun District in Paktika Province.” ACB made the statement.

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan criticized ex-Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi for speaking ill of him in the media after India's six-wicket win over Pakistan in the second Super Four clash of the Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, September 21. India won the match on the arm of Abhishek Sharma's brilliant half-century. However, the discussion was quickly shifted toward Pathan speaking to how Afridi and other former players from Pakistan constantly drag his name in media discussions. 

The Baroda-born all-rounder stated that repeatedly former Pakistan players mention his name on television programs and social media in a derogatory fashion to attract attention. Pathan also stated that while he does not approve of those actions, if those actions help feed their families and provide for their families, then he is happy for them. In addition, he pointed out that multiple of them appear on national news programs solely to speak against him and to turn his name into a vehicle for unnecessary attention.

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“Whoever these former cricketers from the neighbouring nation (Pakistan) make shows on my name in the media, keep doing it. You earn from it, you are able to feed your family through my name, so I am happy, honestly. I am not making any taunts here. And if you look in the media, they make many shows using my name. The former cricketers take my name on their social media handles. Some of them go on news channels and talk rubbish about me,” said Pathan in a video on his YouTube Channel.

We will definitely bite you back: Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan remarked that Indians usually do not pay much attention to the outcomes of other teams’ matches unless India is directly involved. He highlighted this by recalling how neither he nor any Indian cricketers publicly reacted or tweeted when Pakistan suffered a shocking defeat to Zimbabwe during the 2022 T20 World Cup. Pathan stressed that, in general, Indian fans and players seldom concern themselves with the failures of other nations. However, he cautioned that while Indians prefer to stay indifferent, they will not hesitate to respond strongly if provoked or unnecessarily targeted in public discussions or media narratives.

“We Indians, on the other hand, don't even talk about any other team when India isn't playing. Pakistan lost to Zimbabwe in the 2022 T20 World Cup. Neither I nor any Indian cricketer tweeted about it on social media, because we actually don't care at all. Whether Pakistan or any other team wins or loses, we do not care. We only talk about it when Pakistan plays against India and even criticize our shortcomings, but don't care about your team. If you come and poke us, we will definitely bite you back,” said Pathan.

Irfan Pathan has responded following remarks from former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi, who targeted him over a past war of words during their playing days. Afridi, known for making controversial statements, denied that Pathan had made certain comments against him and challenged him to speak face-to-face. Afridi has also been vocal about the ongoing 'handshake' controversy in Asia Cup 2025, which has raised questions about his credibility as a cricket expert.

"Main usko mard manta hoon jo samne khara hoke baat kare. Peeth peeche itni baat karni hain, lekin manu usko hi jo samne aake baat kare. Phir maza aayega na, jawab bhi de sake banda," Afridi said on Pakistani TV channel Samaa TV.

In reply, Pathan took to X and wrote: "Aap log sahi kehte hain: 'Ye padosi X players aur media Irfan Pathan ke naam se obsessed hain.'" The controversy originated from an incident Pathan revealed from 2006, when he and Afridi had a heated interaction during the teams’ travel from Karachi to Lahore.

The 2006 Incident Recalled

"During the 2006 tour, we were flying from Karachi to Lahore. Both teams were traveling together. Afridi came up and put his hand on my head and messed up my hair. He asked me how I was," Pathan told Lallantop. "Abdul Razzaq was sitting with me then. I asked him what kind of meat was available here. He told me meat from different animals was available. After this, I asked whether dog meat was available. Razzaq was surprised to hear me and asked the reason behind my statement. I pointed at Afridi and said that he has eaten dog meat, which is why he is barking like one," Pathan added.

Aap Log sahi kehte hain: ‘Ye padosi X players aur media Irfan Pathan ke naam se obsessed hain.’

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) September 20, 2025

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This incident has rekindled old rivalries between the ex-cricketers and illustrates how things from years ago can come back to life and gain traction in today's cricketing conversation.

The handshake controversy from the clash between two arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, from the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium is yet to be resolved. It all started when the captain, Suryakumar Yadav, didn’t shake hands with the opposite number, Salman Ali Agha.

Later, the right-handed batter nailed the winning runs against the spinner to claim the victory and walked off the ground with his partner, Shivam Dube. The other members of the Blue Brigade, who were waiting near the dug-out, went upstairs and locked the dressing room. Later, India dedicated the victory to their armed force. On that note, the former all-rounder and captain of the Pakistan side, Shahid Afridi, criticized the Narendra Modi-led Indian government.

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‘This government (in India) always plays the religion and Muslim-Hindu card to stay in power. This is a very bad mindset. Rahul Gandhi has a very positive mindset. He believes in dialogue. Is one Israel not enough that you are trying to become another?” Afridi expressed on a TV channel.

Shahid Afridi criticizes Narendra Modi-led Indian government for the handshake saga

The former all-rounder of the side also praised the leader of the Opposition (LoP) of India, Rahul Gandhi, saying that he has a ‘positive mindset.’ The viral video has made the BJP leaders angry. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), due to the incident, didn’t send their captain to the post-match presentation ceremony, as only Shaheen Afridi came to collect his awards.

Later, the PCB complained to the Indian side for showing unsporting behavior, and the ICC’s match referee, Andy Pycroft, who reportedly asked the Pakistan captain not to shake hands with Suryakumar. They threatened to pull out of the tournament if the ICC didn’t remove Pycroft from the referee panel, a request which has been dismissed by the ICC.

Pakistan, which started the campaign with a win over Oman and lost against India at the same venue, will face the United Arab Emirates at the same ground for the do-or-die clash on September 17. The winner of the competition will qualify for the Super 4 stage of the tournament.

Shahid Afridi is once again in the news for the wrong reasons. This time it is before the big Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan in Dubai this Sunday. The former Pakistan captain had earlier made provocative comments during the Pahalgam terror attack in India and during Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to that attack.

Now, as some people call for a boycott of Sunday’s game, the 48-year-old has brought up the World Championship of Legends held in the United Kingdom recently. Afridi criticized the Indian players who had joined that event but refused to play against Pakistani players.

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Afridi on Cricket and Boycott Calls

“I have always said cricket should continue. It always helps improve relations between the two countries,” Afridi told Samaa TV. “In England, people bought tickets to see the WCL match between India Champions and Pakistan Champions. The players had also practised. Then you did not play. What was the thinking? I cannot understand,” he added.

Afridi also claimed that some players are “trying to prove they are Indian” amid calls for boycotting the latest clash between the two rivals. “There are many issues in India. Sometimes people threaten players at their homes. Still, some players keep trying to prove they are Indian. They have been doing this since birth. Now they are also doing commentary in the Asia Cup,” he said.

Afridi Rekindles ‘Bad Egg’ Remark

Afridi had earlier called one Indian Champions player a “bad egg,” believed to be Shikhar Dhawan, after India boycotted both matches against Pakistan in the second WCL season, including the semi-final. In his latest comments, Afridi repeated that jibe.

“If I name the player, his life will become hard. The player I called a bad egg, even his captain told him, ‘If you don’t want to play, then don’t play. But don’t tweet on social media.’ The player came with another motive, that is why I called him a bad egg,” Afridi said.

Meanwhile, despite the BCCI and Government of India approving the Asia Cup match, ticket sales for the India-Pakistan clash have been slow. The Asian Cricket Council has cut ticket prices to attract more fans to their main venue.

Irfan Pathan shared a funny yet heated story from India’s 2006 tour of Pakistan. During a flight from Karachi to Lahore, when both teams were travelling together, Shahid Afridi walked up to him, messed up his hair, and said, “How are you, kid?” Pathan replied, “Since when have you become my father?” This led to a small argument, as Afridi started using abusive words while sitting right next to him.

On the other side, Pathan was sitting with Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq. While chatting, Pathan asked him about the types of meat available in Pakistan. Razzaq listed a few, and then Pathan suddenly asked, “Is dog meat available here?” Afridi, who was listening, was shocked. Razzaq also asked why Pathan said that. Pathan replied, “He has eaten dog meat, that’s why he’s been barking for so long.”

Irfan Pathan on his relationship with Shahid Afridi.

Pathan didn’t mince a word🔥pic.twitter.com/T81naJVVwy

— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) August 16, 2025

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Afridi stayed quiet for the rest of the flight. Pathan said that from that day, Afridi knew he couldn’t win against him in an argument, so he never tried again. Their rivalry didn’t end there. Pathan had many good performances against Pakistan, taking 67 wickets and scoring 807 runs, including a hundred. One of his big moments was in the 2007 T20 World Cup final, where he dismissed Afridi for a golden duck.

Shahid Afridi could only silently witness from the balcony of the stadium as the Yuvraj Singh-led Indian Champions, who had just decided not to play the WCL 2025 semi-final against the Pakistani Champions, walked out of the venue. The decision came due to the increased political tension between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack incident. India had already skipped their league stage match against Pakistan, and many wondered if they would stick to their stand in the knockout stage—which they did, emphatically.

A video doing rounds on social media captured the moment—Afridi watching helplessly from above while Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, and others exited the stadium. After qualifying for the semifinals, Afridi had taunted, "Pata nahi ab kis muh se khelga par khelega hamare sath hi (Don’t know with what face India will play, but they’ll have to play us)." That remark now stands hollow as India chose principle over play, choosing to forfeit the game rather than take the field against Pakistan. Their semifinal qualification came after defeating the West Indies Champions.

The tournament organizers officially confirmed the development in a statement: "We respect the India Champions' decision to withdraw from the semifinals, and we equally respect the Pakistan Champions' readiness to compete. Taking all factors into consideration, the match between the India Champions and the Pakistan Champions has been called off." They added that Pakistan will advance to the final by default.

Organisers Acknowledge Public Sentiment

The WCL committee further stated that while they’ve always believed in sport as a unifier, respecting public emotion was paramount. "Public sentiment must always be respected—after all, everything we do is for our audience," the statement read. The Indian team, including famous players like Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, and Yusuf Pathan, was one in the decision to respect the national sentiment and not play the game.

Indian team packing their bags and knocked out out of WCL 🇮🇳
Lala watching them from the balcony. #WCL2025 pic.twitter.com/zpmffXfqWE

— TEAM AFRIDI (@TEAM_AFRIDI) July 30, 2025

بھارت سیمی فائنل تک تو پہنچ گیا اب کس منہ سے ھمارے ساتھ کھیلے گا۔شاھد آفریدی pic.twitter.com/1UScfnzpYl

— Shahid Khan Afridi Fan (@Afridiifan) July 30, 2025

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This act of solidarity went far beyond the spheres of the game of sport. The fact that the India Champions are not taking part in the tournament does not mean that their stance has not raised a discussion about the intertwined politics and cricket issue.

Shahid Afridi launched an attack on an individual without revealing the name. The India Legends vs Pakistan Legends match was called off after Harbhajan Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, and multiple other cricketers of the India Legends team decided to boycott the game. The decision to boycott the match did not make Shahid Afridi happy. In his natural way of talking, the former Pakistan international said that even the 'Indian team is very disappointed.' Without mentioning any individual's name, Afridi decided to use the 'one rotten egg' phrase in a symbolic way. 

"Sports brings countries closer. If politics comes between everything, then how will you move forward? Without communication, things cannot be solved. The idea for these kinds of events is also to meet one on one. But you know, there is always one rotten egg, which spoils everything," Afridi told the media on Sunday, July 20.

"They trained the day before the match. I think that they pulled out just because of one guy. Even the Indian team is very disappointed. They were here to play. I am telling you, you should be a good ambassador for the country, not an embarrassment." 

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According to media reports, the organizers of the World Championship of Legends on social media announced the cancellation of the highly anticipated clash after Dhawan reiterated his stance of not playing against Pakistan. 

The decision not came from BCCI 

"The event organizers of WCL have confirmed that tomorrow's match between India and Pakistan (Sunday, 20th July, at 16.30) has been cancelled. Please do not attend, as the stadium will be closed. All ticket holders will receive a full refund; please see below for further details," the official X account of Edgbaston Stadium announced.

The relation between these two archrivals got more heated after the Pahalgam terror attack incident. The Indian cricket board (BCCI) made their stand clear by declaring no bilateral series with Pakistan. But the World Championship of Legends is not controlled by the Board of Control for Cricket in India; the decision from the players is considered as their own standpoint. 

While the defending champions India Champions will start their World Championship of Legends (WCL) T20 2025 journey on Sunday (July 20), there is massive controversy, as their opening match will be played against Pakistan Champions, where Shahid Afridi is a member of the Pakistan team. We have less than 24 hours left to officially begin the match, and some big news has just come regarding the former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi. 

Many Indians have called for a boycott of the match against Pakistan Champions in the WCL 2025. The presence of Shahid Afridi, the former Pakistan captain, has made the situation worse, as he made several comments that targeted India, the Indian Army, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Former Indian cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Harbhajan Singh criticised the former Pakistan all-rounder for his comments, and both are in the India Champions squad for the WCL 2025. 

And this is not the first time, as Afridi had previously made many controversial and hateful comments targeting India and Kashmir. Even former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh also criticised the former Pakistan all-rounder for his poor comments. Just like Dhawan and Harbhajan, Yuvraj is also a member of the India Champions for the WCL 2025. 

See Also: Should India boycott playing Pakistan at WCL 2025?

Organisers keeping away Shahid Afridi against India Champions: Report

While several Indian cricketers are reportedly considering withdrawing their names from the match against Pakistan Champions, Shahid Afridi's presence is doubtful for the match. According to the latest Zee News report, the organisers are considering keeping Afridi away from the match against the India Champions to avoid any controversy. Indian company EaseMyTrip is the official “Powered By” sponsor of WCL 2025.

Interestingly, Pakistan Champions started the WCL 2025 season with the match against England Champions last Friday (July 18), where Afridi wasn't present. 

Several Indian cricketers reportedly pulling out of the match

In the meantime, according to several news reports, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Yusuf Pathan are likely to pull out of the match against Pakistan Champions. 

The World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 is all set to bring back some of the biggest cricket stars we’ve all grown up watching. The captains for all six teams have now been confirmed, and the excitement is building as the tournament kicks off on July 18 in England and runs till August 2. The biggest headline this year is the return of AB de Villiers, also known as Mr. 360, who will lead the South Africa Champions. After being away from the game for a few years, AB is making a comeback, and fans can’t wait to see him back on the field doing what he does best.

🚨 CAPTAIN's IN WCL 2025 🚨

South Africa - AB De Villiers.
India - Yuvraj Singh.
West Indies - Chris Gayle.
Australia - Brett Lee.
England - Eoin Morgan.
Pakistan - Shahid Afridi. pic.twitter.com/IBpL7LOPq2

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 18, 2025

The matches will be played across four famous stadiums Edgbaston, Headingley, Leicester, and Northampton. This is not just a fun tournament it's officially supported by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and will feature 18 exciting T20 matches where legends from all over the world will go head-to-head.

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From Gayle’s massive sixes, Yuvraj’s magic in ground, to AB de Villiers' 360° shots, WCL 2025 is going to be a dream come true for fans. It’s a great chance to watch our favourite players back in action, playing for country and back to the game for the most waited wlc 2025.