A host of retired Pakistan cricketers including former captains Shahid Afridi, Misbah-ul-Haq, as well as pace bowling legend Shoaib Akhtar are currently taking part in Legends League Cricket Masters in Qatar. The Pakistan stars are representing the Asia Lions in the tournament, with Afridi leading the side. On Wednesday, Akhtar posted a video on his official YouTube profile that featured Afridi, Misbah, and Sohail Tanvir enjoying quality time in a restaurant in Doha, as the former cricketers pull each other’s legs while reminiscing their time playing for the national team.
At the start of the video, however, Afridi took a savage dig at Akhtar, seemingly over a comment that the former Pakistan speedster made about current national team captain Babar Azam. Akhtar had said that Babar is not a “brand” in Pakistan because he has difficulties communicating in English language; the speedster was criticised heavily by fans and former cricketers alike and Afridi, in the video, hilariously trolled Akhtar for the same.
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“Main toh keh raha hu Ishaq Dar (Pakistan’s finance minister) sahab ki chhutti karwao, Shoaib Akhtar ko finance minister leke aao. Isko brand banaane aate hain, ye brand banaayega (I’m telling you, relieve Ishaq Dar of his duties. Bring Shoaib Akhtar as the finance minister. He knows how to build brands, he will make brands!),” Afridi said, inducing laughter from the players around.
This wasn’t the first time when Afridi took a dig at the Pakistan pacer. In a video posted last week on Akhtar’s YouTube channel, the former skipper also referred to Akhtar’s comments on Shaheen Afridi. The ‘Rawalpindi Express’ – as he is fondly known – had claimed had he been in Shaheen’s place in the 2022 T20 World Cup final, he would’ve completed his four overs.
Shaheen Afridi had a knee injury relapsed and could only bowl 2.1 overs before being forced off the field. “Shoaib Akhtar said in an interview that if he were in Shaheen’s place, he would’ve bowled all four overs. No doubt, Shoaib bore a lot of pain for Pakistan. But my brother has taken so many injections that now, he can’t even walk. He can’t even remove his plaster,” Afridi said in a team bus, and Akhtar himself couldn’t resist breaking into a laugh.
