Former Pakistan allrounder Shahid Afridi has launched a scathing attack on his ex-teammate, Shoaib Akhtar, for his shocking comments on Shaheen Afridi.

Shahid Afridi's comments in the matter came after Shoaib Akhtar said that Shaheen Afridi should have taken painkillers in the T20 World Cup final against England and should have bowled his four overs in the contest. Instead, Shaheen Afridi could only bowl 2 overs in the T20 World Cup final against England before limping off the ground.

Pakistan cricket team's dream of winning the T20 World Cup in Australia ended in disaster last week after the Men in Green lost to England by 5 wickets in Melbourne.

In the title clash, the Three Lions were just too good in all the departments of the game. Bowling first, Jos Buttler and company restricted Pakistan to a below-par total of 137/8, thanks to Sam Curran‘s exceptional figures of 3/12.

Subsequently, a Ben Stokes masterclass gave them their second T20 World Cup title. Ben Stokes not only remained unbeaten on 52, but he also struck the winning runs off the bowling of Mohammad Wasim on the final ball of the 19th over.

“When your main bowler becomes unfit, then it creates problem for you. Shaheen (Afridi) was never fully fit, but we cannot put the entire blame on him as he bowled well in the past 2-3 matches,” Shoaib Akhtar said on Zee News.

“But this is World Cup final. Even if the leg breaks. Whatever happens, happens. Just keep running and do something. But this was not in our fortune,” the legendary pacer added.

“When you numb your feet, the pain is not felt. Yes, you are risking the career of the young man. It is a World Cup final, whether you can risk or not that you have to think as a captain. It is a tough decision,” Shoaib Akhtar pointed out.

However, Shahid Afridi didn't agree with Shoaib Akhtar's views as he highlighted the side effects of painkillers in addition to the risk of aggravating the injury had Shaheen Afridi continued to bowl in the final against England.

“Nehin, nehin, nehin…main nehin samajhta ki yeh jayas baat hai. Painkillers sirf akhti taur pe hota hai. Humne bhi bohot dafa kiya hai. But uske bhi side effects bohot saare hote hai. Kyunki uss time toh sunn ho jati hai and pain khatam ho jati hai, but pain aur zyada bar jaati hai next day (No, no…not at all, it's wrong. Painkillers should be taken in a disciplined manner. I too used to take it. But it has a lot of side effects. It does numb the pain for a while, but after the match day, it tends to pain even more),” he said.

On the other hand, another retired Pakistan cricketer, Aaqib Javed, ripped into the PCB's medical panel after Shaheen Afridi suffered an injury in the T20 World Cup final against England.

Aaqib Javed even alleged that the Pakistan Cricket Board's medical team doesn't know anything about the health issues faced by players.

“Your medical panel declared Fakhar fit as well, but he became unfit after a few overs. We need to make an inquiry on whether they (the medical panel) even know anything about sports injury? Shaheen was given the nod to play when he wasn't even fit enough for the World Cup. Today, we are exactly where we started (the World Cup), with two injured players,” he told Geo Super TV.

“I had said this before the World Cup as well, Shaheen is important, not just for the World Cup as that will come again in two years' time. Shaheen jaisa bowler, agar kuch nuksaan hua, toh kaise aap paida karoge? (If anything happens to him, where will you get another Shaheen from?).”

Shaheen Afridi was even subjected to derogatory comments by a fan which led the legendary Wasim Akram to slam him for insulting the Pakistan pacer.

During a television program, Wasim Akram was shown a tweet by a Pakistan fan who used disrespectful language for Shaheen Afridi after Babar Azam and his men lost the T20 World Cup final against England in Melbourne last week.

The fan was critical of Shaheen Afridi's decision to leave the field after he suffered an injury at an important stage of the match. Wasim Akram, however, was having none of it as he tore into him for insulting Shaheen Afridi.

“This guy… ye jo aap ka question hai. Aap ne badtameezi ki hai. Agar tumhe tameez nahi hai na, chhote bade ki… apne player ke saath tum badtameezi kar rahe ho. Koi sharam, koi haya nahi hai. (This question of yours. You have been insulting. You're being rude to your own player? No shame, no remorse). Just have a look what he has said about Shaheen Afridi. I am fuming. I wish ki tu mere saamne hota (I wish you were in front of me,” a fuming Wasim Akram said on A-Sports.