KARACHI - The tussle between all-rounder Shahid Khan Afridi and veteran Javed Miandad ended with a handshake and sharing sweets, after both stars met on Saturday in Karachi, ending their week-long war-of-words.
Reportedly, the bitterness between the two was resolved when the two met each other in Sindh Governor House after mediation by close relatives and friends. MQM MNA Iqbal M Ali and Afridi's uncle Iqbal played a major role in sorting out the differences between the two former captains.
“Afridi is like a younger brother,” said Miandad in the video message. “And I have already stated that everything is finish from my side. A lot of things happen in the heat of the moment. And I know that Afridi is still unhappy with a few things I said but I take all my words back.”
Former T20I captain Afridi then continued the conversation and said that since the legend has taken his words back everything is fine now. “I am happy to meet you,” said Afridi. “I never wanted you to say sorry to me because you are elder to me. You have taken your words back and that is enough for me and all my fans. I am also sorry for all things that I said and that might have hurt you.”
The rift between them was initiated after Miandad accused Afridi of being involved in match fixing, coming in response to Afridi's statement that the former batsman was always talking about money. The ugly war of words soon spread like fire, as both parties regularly engaged accusing each other using disrespectful language.
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram, who had been pushing both to settle their differences, said sense had finally prevailed. "I am so happy they have sorted out things and it is the sensible thing to do. They were people who came on channels and wanted this controversy to go further without realising how much damage it was doing to our cricket image," Wasim said.
"Things have been sorted out. Afridi is like Miandad's younger brother and he also respects Miandad a lot. It was not such a big deal as made out in the media," MQM MNA Iqbal Ali said.
