In a cricket match, heated exchanges are very common and two athletes can have a go at each other during the match. Most of the incidents happen in the head of the moment, and it generally does not go beyond the ground. However, the case was not the same between former Indian batter Gautam Gambhir and former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi.
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Both Gambhir and Afridi engaged in a fight during an ODI between both sides in Kanpur in 2009. While trying to take a run, Gambhir collided with Afridi in between. Both of them then engaged in a heated argument, and the rivalry between them is still going on. Whether Afridi came deliberately in Gambhir’s way is a thing to debate on.
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In his autobiography Game Changer, Afridi recalled the incident and lashed out at the southpaw. He said that Gambhir had attitude issues and also pointed out that the records of Gambhir are not great with the bat.
Afridi vs Gambhir
During the launch of his book, Afridi again took shots at the former Indian opener. Afridi ironically said that the Indian government doesn’t give visas to the people of Pakistan easily, but he is ready to bring Gambhir to Pakistan to sponsor his treatment.
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“I think Gautam Gambhir may have some problems. I am working with hospitals and I can get him very good treatment here,” Afridi said.
“The Indian government doesn’t normally give visas to our people, but I will welcome everyone from India to Pakistan. Our people and our government have always welcomed Indians and as for Gautam, I will get a visa arranged so that his treatment can be done here.”
Gambhir is certainly not someone who will back out, and he had also tweeted in response to Afridi’s comments. He said that the government gives visas for medical reasons, and he will take the all-rounder to meet a psychiatrist.
@SAfridiOfficial you are a hilarious man!!! Anyway, we are still granting visas to Pakistanis for medical tourism. I will personally take you to a psychiatrist.
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) May 4, 2019
Gautam Gambhir vs Shahid Afridi head to head record
Gambhir certainly was comfortable against Afridi’s spin bowling, or at least, the stats say the same. The Indian southpaw faced 91 balls of Afridi across nine innings, where he scored 81 runs with the help of four boundaries and one six. Afridi managed to get the wicket of Gambhir just once.
Currently, both of them are playing in Legends League Cricket in Doha. Gambhir is the captain of India Maharajas, whereas Afridi is the captain of Asia Lions.
