Whether it is in the commentary box or in the cricket field, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has never been afraid to speak out his mind. The author is also an outspoken person and some of his utterances have been controversial and even led to loss of his job as a pundit. Recently, during an interview, Irfan was very blatant in his comments about contentious issues, which has given us a clue of what he experienced with Pakistan as player.
Pakistan’s Misunderstanding of Muslim Responsibility
Pathan critiqued in discussion an attitude that has long prevailed in Pakistan, the idea that Pakistan is the burden of the entire Muslim world.
“Ek toh Pakistaniyo ko na ye lagta hai ki saare jo musalman hai duniya ke unki jo zimmedaari hai unhone le rakhi hai (One thing about Pakistanis is that they feel as if they’ve taken responsibility for all the Muslims in the world),” Pathan told The Lallantop.
“Ye unki galat fehmi hai (That’s their misconception). Jo mujhe lagta hai yaar thoda thehro, apne aap pe thoda phle dhyan do (What I feel is – hold on a bit, first focus on yourselves). I’ve felt this at a personal level.”
The ex-cricketer stressed that this sort of attitude creates unneeded pressure and misunderstanding of leadership in the global Muslim community.
Clashes with Shahid Afridi on the Field
Pathan also noted the treatment that he received at the hands of ex Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi. Afridi once labeled himself the ‘real Pathan’ while calling Irfan the ‘fake one,’ a comment that fueled Pathan’s determination on the field.
“Dismissed him 11 times. I have a different kind of fight with him [Afridi] because when I was new and young in the team, there was an interview of Afridi with Harsha Bhogle,” Pathan recalled. “Afridi had said, ‘I am the real Pathan, he is a fake Pathan’. Badtameez aadmi hai (He is an ill-mannered man). Mujhe laga ki aap sirf mere baare mein nahi bol rahe ho, mere waalid ke baare mein bhi baat kar rahe (I felt he wasn’t just talking about me but also about my father, which he shouldn’t have done).”
Proving Himself Through Performance
Irfan explained how he translated his frustration into performance whenever he faced Afridi.
“Toh jab jab mere haath mein ball tha, mere jahan mein yeh tha ki isko toh main out kar dunga (So whenever I had the ball in my hand, my only thought was that I would dismiss him). Maine out karke usko gyara baar bata chuka hoon ki asli Pathan kaun hai (By dismissing him 11 times, I’ve shown him who the real Pathan is). Bade bade maukon mein out kiya hai – series decider mein, World Cup final mein (I got him out on big occasions – in a series decider, in a World Cup final).”
Pathan has shown how a certain amount of off-field tension can be transformed into on-field success and how this can be a fine line between individual pride and professional performance to make his story not only insightful, but also very relatable to the cricket fans.
Irfan Pathan’s Candid Reflection on Sports and Diplomacy
This raw interview was also a reflection of the larger perspective of Pathan concerning the dynamics between cricketers of India and Pakistan. In addition to rivalry, he emphasized the necessity to concentrate on his own team, personal responsibility, and avoid letting the misconceptions affect judgment. His statement has emphasized the intertwining of sports, cultural norms and the functions that players have outside the field.
