The build-up to every India-Pakistan clash often spills beyond the field and this week has been no different. A resurfaced remark from former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan about an incident on the 2006 tour of Pakistan has reignited a war of words with Shahid Afridi.
Pathan's claim - made recently in an interview, sparked reactions online and eventually drew a pointed rebuttal from Afridi. What could have stayed a light anecdote has now escalated into a heated back-and-forth between two former stars.
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Shahid Afridi denies Irfan Pathan's 'dog meat' flight story
Pathan had told Lallantop that during a flight in 2006, he silenced Afridi by asking Abdul Razzaq if his teammate's constant "barking" was due to eating dog meat. According to Pathan, the response embarrassed Afridi.
Afridi dismissed the story as completely made up. Speaking to Samaa TV, he said Pathan was fabricating tales for attention and urged him to confront people directly instead of talking behind their backs.
"Main usko mard manta hu jo samne khara hoke baat kare... phir maza ayega na, jawab bhi de sake banda (I consider someone a man who speaks face-to-face. Anyone can talk behind the back. It's fun only when someone has the courage to say it in front)," Afridi said.
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Afridi says Irfan got chance because India had no pacers
The former Pakistan captain didn't stop there. In what was perhaps his harshest dig, Afridi said Pathan's cricketing career existed only because India needed a left-arm fast bowler at the time.
"Pathan India ke liye sirf isliye khele kyunki unhe left-arm fast bowler chahiye tha (Pathan played for India only because they needed a left-arm fast bowler)," he added.
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The blunt statement has drawn strong reactions - especially with an India-Pakistan contest on the horizon. With both sides set to meet in the Asia Cup, off-field exchanges like these continue to fuel the already intense rivalry.
While such verbal battles are not new, Afridi's comments are likely to keep the spotlight burning well into the clash. For fans, it adds yet another subplot to a fixture already carrying decades of history and emotion.
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