"McDonalds, KFC Wale": Shahid Afridi slams players for no aggression in Indo-Pak rivalry

Cricket fans in India and Pakistan are eagerly anticipating February 23, when the two arch-rivals Pakistan and India will clash in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The match is set to be one of the most high-profile encounters in the tournament, continuing a historic rivalry that has often been regarded as cricket’s biggest, surpassing even the Ashes.

However, the rivalry has clearly lost some of the charm of the yesteryears. Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has expressed his concerns about the lack of aggression in modern-day cricket, particularly in India vs Pakistan encounters.

In a recent discussion on Star Sports, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi expressed his concerns about the decline in intensity and aggression in the India vs Pakistan rivalry.

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He blamed modern-day fitness and lifestyle choices, particularly fast food, for the shift in attitude.

"Aaj kal ke players sab McDonalds, KFC wale hai (Today's players are McDonald's, KFC generation)," Afridi said. His comment suggested that the current generation of cricketers lacks the passion and aggression that defined past encounters between the two teams.

Afridi also hinted at his dissatisfaction with Pakistan’s squad selection but refrained from naming specific players. "I have objections to some players in the squad, but I won’t name them. We must stand behind our team," he added.