Shahid Afridi’s Old Video Sparks Fresh Backlash After Pakistan Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Exit: ‘Our Women Are Very Good Cooks’

As the digital fallout from Pakistan’s early exit from the ongoing 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the United Kingdom intensifies, an old ghost from the past has resurfaced to dominate social media trends. An edited video clip featuring former men’s captain Shahid Afridi delivering overtly traditional, regressive remarks has gone viral, timed explicitly to mock the women’s national team becoming the first side mathematically eliminated from the tournament.

However, a closer look at the digital trail reveals that while the sting of Pakistan’s performance is fresh, the sensational interview weaponized against them is over twelve years old.

What Did Shahid Afridi Say?

The viral post, which initially hit the platform X on June 22, 2026, seamlessly stitches together somber broadcast footage of the defeated Pakistan women’s team with a vintage video of Afridi. In the clip, the former all-rounder delivers a series of highly controversial claims, asserting that cricket is a sport that requires it to be “in your blood,” while bluntly stating that the Chinese are incapable of mastering the game. When pressed by the reporter regarding the emergence of a regional women’s cricket ecosystem in Peshawar, Afridi smiles and dismissively remarks, “Women are very good cooks, because it’s in their blood”.

🚨 Big Statement by Shahid Afridi on Pakistan Women’s Team 🗣️

“You cannot play cricket unless it is in your blood, the Chinese cannot play cricket. Our Pakistani Women’s Players cook well as cooking is in their blood”pic.twitter.com/b3c2duSlbS

— Ajay Jadeja (@AjayJadeja171) June 22, 2026

The timing of the post led thousands of casual viewers to believe these were fresh reactions to the 2026 World Cup disappointment. In reality, the explosive interview took place in late 2013 and initially triggered a massive global sexism scandal when it first went viral in March 2014. At the time, Afridi vigorously defended himself, claiming his statements were taken entirely out of context by individuals and he was actually a staunch supporter of women’s sports

Online Backlash

The clip has sparked a fierce cross-border trolling, despite the huge 10-year time difference. Indian cricket fans have gone overboard on Twitter, grabbing onto the old footage to mock the state of Pakistani cricket structure. The comment section has been flooded with biting sarcasm from netizens, who have cited Afridi’s archaic comments as a reflection of the backward gender attitudes that continue to hinder the growth and performance of the women’s game.

Pakistan’s Disastrous 2026 World Cup Campaign

Pakistan’s show in the ongoing 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup has been a gruelling, disappointing one, dashing hopes of knockout glory in a jiffy. Fatima Sana’s side was put in a difficult group and they struggled a lot to get their feet on the big stage. They began their tournament with a huge 64-run defeat to arch-rivals India at Edgbaston, revealing huge vulnerabilities in their batting line-up. They did show great spirit in their next match against South Africa but lost in a nervy 2-wicket defeat after a long battle. Their destiny however was confirmed after a dismal 23-run loss to Bangladesh at the Utilita Bowl. Pakistan’s lack of tactical execution and consistency at the top order kept them at the bottom of the table, making the rest of their campaign a quest for pride.

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