Ex-Pakistan cricketer blasts Shahid Afridi, sides with Irfan Pathan over ‘badtameez aadmi’ jibe
Pathan detailed how Afridi’s provocations fueled his performances on the field. He shared that despite Afridi’s verbal jabs, he managed to dismiss Afridi eleven times across various formats, including crucial moments like the 2007 T20 World Cup final.
The long-standing and often-fiery rivalry between former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan and Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi has taken a new turn, with an unexpected intervention from former Pakistan teammate Danish Kaneria. Pathan’s recent and very candid comments about Afridi have found a significant backer in a player who knows all too well about the controversies that have plagued Pakistan cricket.
The public feud was reignited after Pathan appeared in an interview where he spoke about his on-field clashes and personal animosity with Afridi. Recounting an incident from a flight during India’s 2006 tour, Pathan claimed Afridi had called him a “badtameez aadmi” (a disrespectful man) and said he was not a “real Pathan.”Â
Pathan revealed that the slight was a powerful motivator, driving him to perform better against Afridi. “I have shown him 11 times who the real Pathan is,” he said, referencing his on-field dismissals of Afridi across different formats, most notably in the final of the 2007 T20 World Cup.
The conversation quickly went viral, drawing a reaction from Danish Kaneria. A former teammate of Afridi who has had his own highly publicized feuds with him, Kaneria took to social media to support Pathan. His post was scathing, validating Pathan’s claims while also leveling a direct insult at the former Pakistan captain. “Irfan bhai, you’re absolutely right,” Kaneria wrote. “He always resorts to personal attacks—be it on someone’s family or their religion. Class and decency aren’t 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 statement strongly backs Pathan’s complaints. It supports the story of Afridi’s tough actions and shows a more troubled past in the Pakistan locker room. A former teammate’s open support against a popular Pakistani player has made a private fight into a big talk about behavior and respect in sports.
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