Shahid Afridi Lashes Out At Gautam Gambhir Over Suggestion That India Should Forfeit World Cup Match Against Pakistan

Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir, who recently became an MP after winning from the East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, received flak from Pakistan's Shahid Afridi, who called him "foolish" over his suggestion that India should forfeit the World Cup match against the arch-rivals. Earlier in February, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in a ghastly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. In the wake of the terror attack, Gautam Gambhir was among those who suggested India should forfeit all cricketing ties with Pakistan.

India are scheduled to face Pakistan in the World Cup 2019 on June 16 in Manchester.

Reacting to Gambhir's suggestion, Afridi said at a press conference: "Do think it is sensible what Gautam Gambhir has said? Does this look like something which a sensible person would say? Do educated people talk like this?"

Shahid Afridi responds to Gautam Gambhir's suggestion that India should forfeit any World Cup matches versus Pakistan "Does this look like something which a sensible person would say? Do educated people talk like this?" #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/wYgtoOMI5k

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) May 24, 2019

Afridi, in his recently released autobiography, accused the former India opener of having an "attitude problem" and "no personality" going onto even claim that Gambhir "has no records just a lot of attitude".

Gambhir hit back to Twitter, saying: "we are still granting visas to Pakistanis for medical tourism", even offering to "personally" take Shahid Afridi to a psychiatrist.

@SAfridiOfficial you are a hilarious man!!! Anyway, we are still granting visas to Pakistanis for medical tourism. I will personally take you to a psychiatrist.

— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) May 4, 2019

"Some rivalries were personal, some professional. First the curious case of Gambhir. Oh poor Gautam. He and his attitude problem," Afridi wrote in his book

"He (Gautam) who has no personality. He who is barely a character in the great scheme of cricket. He who has no great records just a lot of attitude."

"In Karachi we call guys like him saryal (burnt up). Its simple, I like happy, positive people. Doesn't matter if they are aggressive or competitive, but you have to be positive and Gambhir wasn't," he adds.

Gambhir and Afridi don't see eye to eye, both on and off the field. In 2007, the two players were booked for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct following a clash during an ODI match between India vs Pakistan in Kanpur.

(With IANS inputs)