The long-standing rivalry between Irfan Pathan and Shahid Afridi has once again grabbed headlines, this time off the field. Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has strongly supported Pathan after the ex-India all-rounder accused Afridi of making personal and insulting remarks during their playing days.
Irfan Pathan, one of India’s finest all-rounders of the 2000s, had a memorable record against Pakistan. With 807 runs and 67 wickets against the arch-rivals, the left-arm pacer often rose to the occasion in high-pressure matches. Pathan dismissed Afridi 11 times across formats, including the iconic golden duck in the 2007 T20 World Cup final. Their on-field battles symbolised the fierce India-Pakistan rivalry of that era.
Recently, on a talk show, Pathan revealed that Afridi once called him a “fake Pathan.” For Irfan, this wasn’t just banter but an insult aimed at his family heritage. He responded by branding Afridi a “Badtameez Aadmi” (ill-mannered person) and admitted that every time he bowled to him, he was determined to get him out. “I have shown him 11 times who the real Pathan is,” Pathan asserted, recalling his dominance in crunch moments like series deciders and World Cup clashes.
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Danish Kaneria quickly backed Pathan’s statement, taking to social media to accuse Afridi of consistently resorting to personal digs. “Irfan bhai, you’re absolutely right. He always resorts to personal attacks—whether on someone’s family or their religion. Class and decency clearly aren’t his strengths,” Kaneria wrote on X (formerly Twitter), amplifying the controversy.
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, who represented Pakistan in 61 Tests and remains the nation’s leading red-ball spinner with 261 wickets, has a long history of disagreements with Afridi. The leg-spinner once revealed that Afridi pressured him to convert to Islam and even refused to share meals with him, which Kaneria described as “deeply disrespectful.” He further argued that Afridi often supports extremist views and should not be given a platform in India.
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The former spinner’s words carry weight given his stature in Pakistan cricket. With 15 five-wicket hauls and career-best figures of 7/77 against Bangladesh in 2003, Kaneria was a key part of Pakistan’s bowling attack in the 2000s. Only legends like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Imran Khan have taken more Test wickets for Pakistan.
While Afridi has remained silent on Pathan and Kaneria’s fresh accusations, the episode underlines how old rivalries continue to spill beyond the boundary. For fans, it’s yet another reminder that the India-Pakistan cricketing narrative is not just about runs and wickets—it’s also about pride, respect, and unfinished battles.
