Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has recently discussed the rapid spread of fake news and online trolling, highlighting a specific incident involving Pakistan cricketer Babar Azam during the 2023 ODI World Cup. Pathan clarified that a widely circulated story, which claimed Azam refused to be interviewed by him due to alleged critical comments about Pakistan, was entirely false. He explained that this report was generated using a manipulated photograph.
Pathan, speaking on JioHotstar, stated that “The trolling and fake attribution happen every day.” He recounted how a media outlet in a neighboring country published a story asserting that he had approached Babar Azam for an interview, only to be rejected. The fabricated reason given in the story was that Azam believed Pathan “trolls our country, so I won’t give him an interview.” Pathan firmly denied this, calling it “a complete lie.”
The former cricketer elaborated that someone had photoshopped his face onto an existing picture. The individual in the original photograph was, in fact, a young Bangladeshi reporter who was denied an interview by Azam after approaching him for the first time on the ground. Pathan noted, “They literally put my face on his body and spread the story. It got over a million views, and people believed it was me.” He added that such incidents are common, but he generally chooses not to respond, stating, “Every day, some lie is told in our name or about some player. If you keep responding to everyone, you won’t be able to live your life.”
The spread of misinformation
The incident underscores the challenges posed by misinformation in the digital age, particularly concerning public figures and international rivalries. Pathan’s former India teammate, Harbhajan Singh, also came to his defense against online trolls in 2024, questioning the veracity of such claims. Singh’s tweet highlighted the lack of proper conduct and visual evidence in the viral content.
The rivalry between India and Pakistan in cricket is well-known, with political tensions often influencing fan interactions. One report mentioned a previous incident where Indian cricketers reportedly declined to shake hands with Pakistan players during the Asia Cup 2025, following a terrorist attack. This context may have contributed to the rapid spread and belief in the fabricated story involving Pathan and Azam.
Pathan’s career and other anecdotes
Irfan Pathan was a significant part of India‘s 2007 T20 World Cup-winning team, where he was named Player of the Match in the final against Pakistan. Throughout his international career, he secured 301 wickets and accumulated 2,821 runs. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Pathan participated in 103 matches, taking 80 wickets and scoring 1,139 runs.
Beyond the discussion of fake news, Pathan also shared an anecdote from his time with the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in the IPL, playing for the team from 2008 to the 2010 season. He recalled an occasion when Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, the team’s owner, cooked ‘paranthas’ for the team. This happened during a season in South Africa when the team had lost several initial matches, leading to disappointment among players and management.
Zinta reportedly promised the team an Indian food party, including homemade paranthas, if they won their next match. Pathan recounted that the team subsequently won a low-scoring game. True to her word, Zinta gathered the players at the hotel and prepared the paranthas. Pathan described her as “such a lovely lady, so warm and caring,” noting that even when the team was consistently losing, she would attend team meetings, engage with the players, and seek ways for improvement without losing her composure.
The incident with Babar Azam highlights the persistent challenge of online misinformation, a phenomenon Pathan noted occurs “every day.”
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
