The tragic t*rror att@ck in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists, has sparked a sharp verbal clash between former cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Shahid Afridi, whose escalating exchange on social media has caught widespread attention.
The controversy began when the former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi made inflammatory remarks in the aftermath of the att@ck. Speaking to a local news channel, Afridi accused India of routinely blaming Pakistan without evidence and took aim at the Indian Army, calling it ineffective despite its large presence in Kashmir. His comments questioned the army’s capability, insinuating that such an att@ck exposed their failure to protect citizens.
Shahid Afridi’s words did not sit well with the former Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan who publicly responded with a strongly worded retort. Refusing to let Shahid Afridi’s comments go unchecked, Shikhar Dhawan reminded him of Pakistan’s defeat in the 1999 Kargil War, urging Shahid Afridi to refrain from making unnecessary remarks and instead focus on improving his own country. In a post on X, Dhawan emphasised India’s pride in its armed forces, closing with “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Jai Hind”.
Shikhar Dhawan tweeted, “Kargil mein bhi haraya tha, already itna gire hue ho aur kitna giroge, bewajah comments pass karne se acha hai apne desh ki taraqqi mai dimag lagao @SAfridiOfficial. Humein hamari Indian Army par bohot garv hai. Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Jai Hind!”
https://x.com/SDhawan25/status/1916873174693654557
The tension didn’t stop there. In a follow-up post that was widely seen as a taunt, Shahid Afridi shared a picture of himself holding a cup of tea and made a sarcastic offer to serve Shikhar Dhawan tea, suggesting that they leave aside debates about winning and losing. The comment, though brief, carried heavy subtext, widely interpreted as a pointed reference to the 2019 capture of Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman by Pakistan. During that episode, a video of the pilot calmly sipping tea while in custody went viral, making Shahid Afridi’s remark all the more provocative.
Shahid Afridi tweeted, “Chouro jeet haar ko , aao tumhey chae pilata hun Shikhar . #FantasticTea”
https://x.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/1917170251487408626
This exchange came on the heels of former India captain Sourav Ganguly’s demand for a complete severing of cricketing relations with Pakistan. Sourav Ganguly, speaking to reporters in Kolkata, called for decisive action in response to repeated acts of t*rrorism, insisting that such vi*lence could no longer be tolerated.
As public sentiment continues to harden in the wake of the Pahalgam tragedy, the fiery interaction between Shikhar Dhawan and Shahid Afridi reflects not just a clash of opinions but also the deep-seated national emotions that get triggered beyond the boundary lines of cricket.
