A file photograph of Shahid Afridi and Gautam Gambhir
India opener and Delhi Daredevils captain Gautam Gambhir has mocked former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi after he raised up the Kashmir issue with his latest tweet on Tuesday. Urging the media not to give air to Afridi's comments, Gambhir said: "Afridi is just celebrating a dismissal off a no-ball".
Gambhir tweeted: "Media called me for reaction on @SAfridiOfficial tweet on OUR Kashmir & @UN. What’s there to say? Afridi is only looking for @UN which in his retarded dictionary means “UNDER NINTEEN” his age bracket. Media can relax, @SAfridiOfficial is celebrating a dismissal off a no- ball!!!"
Afridi, who has earlier caused uproar in India for saying that a lot of support for their team at the 2016 World T20 came from people of Kashmir, on Tuesday tweeted: "Appalling and worrisome situation ongoing in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. Innocents being shot down by oppressive regime to clamp voice of self determination & independence. Wonder where is the @UN & other int bodies & why aren't they making efforts to stop this bloodshed?"
Afridi, who retired from international cricket in 2017, was slammed by the then BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur for his comments on Kashmir. Afridi has played 27 Tests, 398 ODIs and 98 T20Is for for his country and is considered one of the best limited-overs all-rounders to have played the game for Pakistan.
Gambhir and Afridi have a history of on-field run-ins when they were representing their respective countries. It is not the first time that Gambhir has questioned Afridi's maturity. But Tuesday's response by Gambhir has also that funny element as well as implied meaning about his nemesis.
(With PTI inputs)
