T20 World Cup: Shaheen Afridi Issues India Warning
Pakistan ODI leader Shaheen Shah Afridi has given an unmistakable notice to India before they happen in a high-voltage battle during the ICC Men T20 World Cup of 2026, which will be held in Colombo on February 15.
In an engagement with the media, Shaheen was questioned about the scandal that erupted after the ACC Men T20 Asia Cup 2025, in which Indian players are reported to have refused to shake hands with the referee after the game and to accept the tournament trophy given to them by the Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi.
Shaheen told me that the spirit of sportsmanship has been broken by people across the border. So, our role is to play cricket and this is where our focus is. We will respond on the field.”
Asia Cup incident
The Asia Cup incident was an issue that raised a ruckus around the world of cricketing fans and former players, as many people raised questions on whether international sports were being eclipsed by political issues. The already fierce competition between India and Pakistan, which is one of the worst in world cricket, seems to have assumed a stiffer angle over the recent years.
On top of the story, former West Indies captain Jason Holder complained about the turn of events. In an interview with an Indian sports news, Holder termed the case as sad and that such activities hurt the image of the sport of cricket.
I saw India win the Asia cup and not even come on stage to collect the trophy, Holder said. We should not have these things in our game. We are representatives of the sport.
Holder also emphasized that, cricketers have a burden beyond performance, particularly when their fans number in the millions who will be looking up to them as role models.
The comments made by Shaheen are an indication that Pakistan is bent on allowing its performance to speak volumes especially as the T20 world cup match approaches. They are already being built up to be one of the most closely-watched matches in the whole tournament following the many emotions and the history on play between Colombo and the other.
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