Even before the blockbuster T20 World Cup high-voltage encounter between Pakistan and India kicks off at Melbourne Cricket Ground, the war of words has already begun between the veteran cricketers of the two countries. 

This time it was between former Pakistani captain and master blaster Shahid Afridi and ex-India cricketer Atul Wassan, with the Boom-Boom all-rounder giving a sharp and befitting reply to the latter on his comment on star Pakistani wicketkeeper-opener Mohammad Rizwan.

Speaking on a Pakistani TV channel, India’s Wassan opined that Indian batting line-up has bigger names compared to Pakistan’s, given their consistent show in the format over the years.

The Indian veteran feels that while Pakistan do have match-winners in players like Rizwan and Mohammad Nawaz, they have managed to emerge as man of the match in one-off matches and not on a consistent basis and hence he refrained from opining that Babar Azam-led side also has bigger players in their line-up.

“Mujhe ek deja vu wali feeling ho rahi thi. Kuch mahine phele bhi discuss kar rahe the ki Indian team main bare bare naam hai - Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul. Aur yeh bare naam isliye hai kyunki kuch saalo se innhone consistent performances diye hai. Iisliye world main bhi rating hai. Compared to Pakistan cricketers, unhone bhi kiya hai, par India team ke against dekha jae toh utne bare, utne globally nehi hai,” he said.

“Rizwan ne ek match jitaya, Nawaz ne hi ek match jitaya, but ek match jitwane se koi bare player nehi ban jaate. Hardik ko bhi highly rate karte he kyunki woh lagatar bowling se bhi jitwaya hai, batting se bhi. Rizwan bara naam nehi lag rahe the kyunki unhone India ke khilaf matche nehi jitwaye the. Par abhi woh 3-4 bar perform kiya hai, toh unko bhi rating milna chaiye.”

Afridi, who was part of the discussion, was asked by the reporter on Virat Kohli's form, but the former captain was in complete disagreement with Wassan's remark and went back on the topic to give a witty and fiery reply: 

“Abhi jo baat kar rahe they woh samaj nehi ayi. Apne players ko sar pe charha liya. Pakistan players, jo ICC Ranking main No.1, 2 hain unko bilkul ignore kardiya,” he said.