Irfan Pathan shares details of a heated confrontation with Kumar Sangakkara that became intensely personal.

In a recent revelation, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan recounted a memorable confrontation with Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara during a Test match in Delhi back in 2005. The incident, which began over a disagreement regarding a changed cricket ball, escalated into a personal exchange that both players eventually moved past, leading to a friendship.

Pathan, who played a pivotal role in the match at Feroz Shah Kotla by scoring 93 runs after being promoted up the batting order, reflected on the heated moment during an appearance on JioHotstar's ‘Cheeky Singles’ program. He noted that the tension stemmed from the Sri Lankan team's dissatisfaction with the ball used during their innings. “There was a Test match in Delhi. I opened and made 93. After the first innings, when we went to bowl, the box of balls had changed, or something like that happened, and the Sri Lankan players were not happy. Sangakkara was the most vocal of all,” Pathan explained.

As Pathan began to dominate the Sri Lankan bowlers, particularly hitting Muttiah Muralitharan for two sixes, Sangakkara's frustration grew. “If he is getting hit for sixes with the new ball, it means you have derailed the opposition's planning a bit. Suddenly, Sangakkara started saying, ‘You guys cheat, your parents teach you all this and blah blah.’ He went personal, and I also answered back. He started it,” Pathan recalled, emphasizing that the exchange transcended typical competitive banter.

Despite the potential for lasting animosity, the two cricketers found themselves on the same team years later when they both joined Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Pathan described the initial awkwardness of sharing a dressing room with Sangakkara, given their past. “After the auction, I saw I would be playing with Sangakkara at Punjab. Now I was eating with his family, and I did not know what to do. I went and told him sorry. He also apologised, and then we became good friends,” he shared.

This incident serves as a reminder of how quickly emotions can escalate in the competitive world of cricket. Pathan's story illustrates that while heated exchanges can occur on the field, they do not have to dictate the nature of relationships off it. The ability to reconcile and move forward is a testament to the maturity of both players.