Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Amir have become embroiled in an ugly spat with Afghanistan international Naveen-ul-Haq, with an on-field blow-up during the Lanka Premier League rumbling along on social media and in the press over the course of the last week.
Former Pakistan teammates Amir and Afridi are both part of the Galle Gladiators franchise, while Afghan quick Naveen plays for Kandy Tuskers. Naveen and Amir were involved in a heated exchange in the final overs of a game played between their sides on November 30, with Kandy wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor restraining Amir, while another Tuskers fielder held back Naveen.
Tuskers emerged victorious by 25 runs, and Afridi, who was dismissed for a golden duck, appeared all smiles as he walked off. But his expression turned fierce as he came face to face with the 21-year-old, with the pair exchanging words even as their respective handshake lines moved past each other.
After a clip of the incident was posted online, Afridi gave his side of events. “My advise [sic] to the young player was simple,” he tweeted. “Play the game and don’t indulge in abusive talk. I have friends in Afghanistan team and we have very cordial relations. Respect for teammates and opponents is the basic spirit of the game.”
Naveen then replied, with the tweet now pinned to the top of his Twitter profile. “Always ready to take advice and give respect,” he said. “Cricket is a gentleman’s game but if someone says you all are under our feet and will stay their [sic] then he is not only talking about me but also talking abt my ppl. [sic]”
Always ready to take advice and give respect,Cricket is a gentleman’s game but if someone says you all are under our feet and will stay their then he is not only talking about me but also talking abt my ppl. #give #respect #take #respect
— Naveen ul haq Murid (@imnaveenulhaq) December 1, 2020
According to Saj Sadiq, editor of PakPassion.net, Amir strongly disagreed with Naveen’s version of events. “Naveen-ul-Haq is a liar,” he is quoted as saying. “I never made any negative remark about him or Afghanistan. He was constantly abusing me, calling me a traitor and saying I should have gone to jail for five years.”
Mohammad Amir "Naveen-ul-Haq is a liar. I never made any negative remark about him or Afghanistan. He was constantly abusing me, calling me a traitor and saying I should have gone to jail for 5 years" #Cricket #LPL2020 pic.twitter.com/K6DywOzx2B
— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) December 4, 2020
Amir has since spoken further in an attempt to cool the flames. “He is a youngster and will learn soon as this happens when you are new to cricket; Even when I started off, I had this habit of getting into trouble with every other batsman. This is cricket and things happen in the heat of the moment – its nothing personal to be honest.”
Kandy Tuskers and Galle Gladiators will face off again on December 10, a game which will perhaps be the true test of how much the tensions have thawed.
