Courtesy: Irfan Pathan/X
Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has become a massive fan of the Afghanistan cricket team and its players ever since they have started to take their game to the next level in LOIs in the last couple of years. From dancing alongside all-rounder Rashid Khan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, to hosting them for a dinner at his residence in Baroda, to appreciating them for their progression in the ICC tournaments, to shaking a leg in traditional Afghani attire, Irfan Pathan’s association with Afghanistan cricket team could easily be called as a love history.
The fandom of Irfan Pathan for the Afghanistan cricket team could be traced back to him being present at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on October 15, 2023, during the ODI World Cup, when they defeated England by 69 runs. Shortly after the big win, Afghanistan players were celebrating wildly at the stadium, and when Rashid Khan came in the vicinity of Irfan Pathan, the latter left the live post-match show of the official broadcaster, to join him and enjoy “Bhangra” dance with microphone in one hand.
Irfan Pathan hosted Afghanistan cricket team for dinner at his home in Baroda in 2023
Just a few weeks later after dancing with Rashid Khan at the stadium, Irfan Pathan hosted a dinner in honour of Afghanistan cricket team at his home in Baroda, and they were joined by Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty and singer Adnan Sami. Such a wholehearted gesture from Irfan Pathan towards the Afghan players signifies his love for them, which has transcended boundaries, and it is still growing.
During the T20 World Cup 2024, which was played in the Caribbean and the USA, Afghanistan reached the semi-final of the tournament, where they were defeated by the Indian cricket team, who became the eventual champions. Ahead of the Super 8 stage of the tournament last year, the 40-year-old alluded to the growth of Afghanistan cricket team, calling it the most heartening thing he saw during the World Cup before wishing them all the best for the next stage.
Less than 24 hours ago, Afghanistan defeated England once again in an ICC tournament, getting the better of them by six runs in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, to eliminate them from the competition at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Shortly after, Irfan Pathan took to his official Instagram account to share a short video of himself dancing on the “Afghan Jalebi” song in traditional Afghanistan attire, to appreciate the incredible performance from their cricket team, which has put them a step closer to reaching the semi-finals stage of the tournament.
As the Afghanistan cricket team continuously improve their cricket with every outing, the fans can expect many displays of fandom from Irfan Pathan towards them and their players, writing new pages in their love history in times to come.
