A stunning assertion has emerged in the realm of cricket, as former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has made noteworthy allegations against past Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, characterizing him as an “uncouth” sportsman susceptible to individual critiques. This assertion has been publicly corroborated by past Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria, who portrayed Afridi as lacking “refinement and moral standards” and emphasized his personal prior dealings with the contentious sportsman.
A tense conflict between Irfan Pathan and Shahid Afridi
Pathan, communicating on a widely viewed Indian media program, recounted several stressful interactions with Afridi. He recounted an episode during a 2006 journey where Afridi acted patronizingly toward him. Pathan’s pointed response, “When did you start acting like my parent?” established the atmosphere for their tense association. The conflict escalated when Afridi purportedly called Pathan a “fraudulent Pathan,” a remark that the Indian all-rounder considered extremely offensive and individualized. Pathan asserts that while Afridi attempted to provoke him outside the field, his performance on it represented itself, as he dismissed Afridi an exceptional 11 instances in global cricket. The verbal exchanges persisted, with Pathan recalling a circumstance where he silenced Afridi with a sharp comment about his alleged intake of canine meat.
Danish Kaneria reinforces Irfan Pathan’s assertions
The dispute gathered additional impetus when Danish Kaneria, a past associate of Afridi, openly sustained Pathan’s assertions on social networking platform X (formerly Twitter). Kaneria’s posting proclaimed, “Irfan bhai, you are completely correct. He perpetually resorts to individual critiques—whether targeting someone’s family or their belief. Refinement and moral standards are clearly not his strengths.”
Irfan @IrfanPathan bhai, you’re absolutely right. He always resorts to personal attacks—be it on someone’s family or their religion. Class and decency clearly aren’t his strengths.pic.twitter.com/nWOEA3vz49
— Danish Kaneria (@DanishKaneria61) August 17, 2025
Kaneria’s assistance originates from his individual unpleasant dealings in the Pakistan changing room, where he has previously indicted Afridi of prejudice due to religious disparities. Kaneria, a Hindu, alleged that Afridi encouraged colleagues to abstain from eating with him and displayed discriminatory conduct—accusations Afridi has consistently refuted.
While Afridi persists as a commemorated individual in his native nation, his questionable remarks and conduct have frequently polarized both supporters and past sportsmen. The candidness of Pathan and Kaneria in speaking openly about these matters has resonated with cricket enthusiasts across the globe, who are now reminded of the emotional and unstable undercurrents that have extensively characterized one of the sport’s most intense contests. As the deliberation unfolds, it persists to be observed whether Afridi will respond, but this fresh section validates the lasting consequence that individual dynamics can possess on the history and heritage of sports.
