Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi accused young cricketer Irfan Khan Niazi of faking his age on national television. While discussing the future of the Pakistan national cricket team and potential captaincy candidates, the former all-rounder openly questioned the official age of the youngster.
Pakistan’s poor performance in the T20 World Cup 2026 has raised serious questions about the team’s leadership. Salman Ali Agha’s captaincy has come under scrutiny after the team failed to meet expectations. PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi is reportedly planning to appoint a new captain in the T20I format.
Phir Toh Hum 30-35 Ka Hai” – Shahid Afridi
When asked whether a young player like Niazi should be given leadership responsibilities, Shahid Afridi questioned Niazi’s official age. Afridi immediately laughed it off and claimed that the player is actually much older than what is written on paper.
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“Niazi ko toh pehle bhi aap khila chuke ho… uski umar kitni hai yeh jo nayi aa gayi hai? (You have already played Niazi before… what is his age now that is being mentioned?)” Afridi asked.
“Achha… phir toh hum theek hain phir… 30-35 ka hai (Oh, then we are fine… we must be around 30–35 years old),” Afridi stated when the host responded that Niazi is officially 23 years old.
Shahid Afridi said, “Irfan Niazi is really 23? If he is 23, then we are fine, we must be around 30-35. I thought I was the only one who had reduced my age”. 😂
— Salman. (@TsMeSalman) March 5, 2026
Irfan Khan Niazi’s Performances in Pakistan Cricket
Irfan Khan Niazi has shown great promise on the cricket field. The right-handed batter made his T20 International debut for Pakistan in April 2024 against New Zealand.
He first grabbed the spotlight during the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) while playing for the Karachi Kings, where he won the Emerging Player of the Tournament award for his hard-hitting finishes.
The 23-year-old has played 14 T20 Internationals for the Men in Green so far, scoring 189 runs at an average of 27 and a strike rate of 135.00, with a best score of 37.
He also recently captained the Pakistan Shaheens team in the Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament in late 2025. Niazi guided the team to victory with a win over Bangladesh in the final.
Age Fudging Allegations on Shahid Afridi in His Playing Days
During his playing days, Shahid Afridi’s official records stated that he was just 16 years old when he scored his famous 37-ball century against Sri Lanka in 1996. For decades, fans celebrated this as an unbelievable record by a teenager.
However, long after his retirement, Afridi confessed in his autobiography that his official age was incorrect. He admitted that he was actually born earlier than the officially recorded date. His age during that world-record century was therefore wrong, which surprised many of his supporters.
This revelation created a major stir in the cricket world when the book was published. His recent comments on live television about Irfan Khan Niazi allegedly faking his age have sparked controversy, as Afridi himself had earlier admitted that his official age was inaccurate during his international career.
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