Stories from old India–Pakistan encounters are never short of drama, and one such tale has now been revealed by former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan.
The left-arm pacer, known for his swing bowling, recalled a heated exchange with Shahid Afridi during the 2006 tour.
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While both teams were travelling together on a domestic flight in Pakistan, Afridi decided to play around with a young Pathan. What followed was a sharp reply from the Indian cricketer that left Afridi stunned and silent.
What really happened between Irfan Pathan and Shahid Afridi mid-flight
Pathan narrated that the incident took place after the Karachi Test in 2006. Afridi, being one of the senior players in the Pakistan camp, started teasing the young Indian by messing with his hair and calling him “kid.”
"During the 2006 tour, we were flying from Karachi to Lahore. Both teams were travelling together. Shahid Afridi came and put his hand on my head and messed up my hair. He asked me, 'How are you, kid?' I thought, since when did he become my father. He behaved like a child. I was neither talking to him nor saying anything. After this, Afridi said some bad things to me. His seat was near mine," he narrated during an interview with Lallantop.
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The remark did not go down well with Pathan, who kept quiet initially but found a way to answer back without creating a scene.
He revealed that he went to Abdul Razzaq, who was seated nearby, and asked a casual question about the types of meat available in Pakistan. When Razzaq asked him why he wanted to know, Pathan cleverly replied, “Because Afridi has eaten dog meat, he has been barking for so long.”
The remark not only embarrassed Afridi but also ended the episode, as Afridi reportedly never troubled Pathan again after that day.
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"After this, Afridi could not say anything. If he had said anything, I would have said, 'Look, he is barking more.' After this, he remained quiet for the entire flight. He understood from this incident that he would not be able to fight me verbally. That is why he never said anything to me again," the 40-year-old completed.
Why did the 2006 Karachi Test remain unforgettable for Irfan Pathan?
Interestingly, the same Karachi Test is etched in cricket history for a very different reason. In that match, Irfan Pathan achieved something no bowler had ever done before - a hat-trick in the very first over of a Test match.
He dismissed Salman Butt, Younis Khan, and Mohammad Yousuf within the opening six balls, leaving Pakistan reeling at 0 for 3.
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Even though India eventually lost the Test by a big margin, Pathan’s feat went down as one of the most iconic moments in Indian cricket.