Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan faced mixed reactions on social media after denying a claim that he ate beef at a dinner hosted by Afghan cricketer Rashid Khan in Dubai.
Rashid invited Irfan and his brother, Yusuf Pathan, to his home, where they enjoyed traditional Afghan dishes, including Kabuli pulao and mantu.
Irfan shared a video of the gathering on social media and praised Rashid and his wife for their hospitality and the food they served.
“What hosts @rashid.khan19 & layloma Bhabi are! We had the most incredible Afghan feast. Every dish had its own unique flavor, but what made it even more special was the love and warmth that went into everything,” Irfan wrote in the caption.
The discussion took a different turn when an X user claimed that the three cricketers had eaten beef together. Irfan rejected the claim with a brief reply: “Nope”.
Some users also questioned the type of meat served at the dinner. One user argued that the size of a bone visible in the dish suggested it came from a cow rather than a lamb.
Others criticised the Pathan brothers over the alleged meal. One user wrote, “Shameless brothers How you people are eating yar Chi thu.” Another commented, “So you’re eating beef? Kabuli Pulao is a beef dish”.
Several users also mocked the controversy. One wrote, “Beef party…no cow was hurt in this feast”.
Another user took a swipe at Hindu nationalist groups, writing, “Finally you managed to eat beef without getting crucified by tukray tukray #Hindutva gang.”
The discussion sparked mixed reactions online, with some users criticising the cricketers while others made sarcastic remarks about the claim. Irfan’s response denied the allegation, and the type of meat served at the dinner was not independently confirmed.
