Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has accused ex-India all‑rounder Irfan Pathan of lying about remarks made on a 2006 flight, comments pertaining to Afridi allegedly eating dog meat. In one such instance, Irfan Pathan responded to Afridi’s remarks by saying, “Tu kab se mera baap ban gaya?” and accused Afridi of “barking like a dog,” drawing sharp reactions from Pakistani fans and even surprising former all-rounder Abdul Razzaq.
Afridi has vehemently denied these claims. He stated there was no conversation about dog meat involving him, and challenged Pathan to repeat the remarks to his face. He also said that those allegations seem like attempts by Pathan to prove his loyalty or patriotism by criticizing Pakistan and asserted that such efforts are unnecessary. Abdul Razzaq, too, has also claimed that no such conversation took place.
The narrative has opened a fresh controversy in cricketing circles, especially between fans of both countries. Critics argue this is another example of how old anecdotes resurface and get magnified due to social media. Afridi’s emphatic statement, “Main usko mard manta hu jo samne kadha ho ke baat kaare” (“I consider him a man only if he says it to my face”), underscores the seriousness with which he rejects Pathan’s version of events.
'I Didn't Mean Any Disrespect…': Mohammad Yousuf Defends Derogatory Remark Against Suryakumar Yadav, Questions Irfan Pathan's Comment Against Shahid Afridi
Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf has issued a clarification following widespread criticism over his controversial remarks about Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav after the high-voltage India vs Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup 2025. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Yousuf defended his stance, while also questioning the perceived double standards of the Indian media and public regarding an earlier remark made by Irfan Pathan about Shahid Afridi.
Yousuf wrote: "I didn’t mean any disrespect to any sportsman who plays for his country with passion and grace, but why were the Indian media and people praising Irfan Pathan when he said that Shahid Khan Afridi was barking like a dog? Shouldn’t that have been rejected by everyone who talks about dignity and respect?"
The comment appears to reference a verbal spat between Irfan Pathan and Shahid Afridi that took place 2006. In one such instance, Irfan Pathan responded to Afridi’s remarks by saying, “Tu kab se mera baap ban gaya?” and accused Afridi of “barking like a dog,” drawing sharp reactions from Pakistani fans and even surprising former all-rounder Abdul Razzaq.
Yousuf’s own comments had come under fire after he made a derogatory statement about Suryakumar Yadav during a post-match discussion, which was widely criticized as crossing the line of decency in cricket commentary. As the backlash grew, Yousuf’s latest post attempts to reframe the discourse, calling for fairness and mutual respect in how players from both countries are judged by their respective media and fanbases.
As the Asia Cup 2025 moves forward, it remains to be seen whether cooler heads will prevail or if the firestorm around these verbal clashes will continue to overshadow the cricket itself.
