Former Pakistan captain and all-rounder Shahid Afridi revealed that he called and convinced ex-Indian cricketer Suresh Raina to delete the controversial tweet regarding the former's appointment as the ambassador of the T20 World Cup 2024.
The incident began when a Pakistani journalist took a dig at Suresh Raina when Afridi was announced as one of the four ambassadors of the upcoming showpiece event in the West Indies and the USA.
"ICC has named Shahid Afridi as an ambassador for ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Hello Suresh Raina?" Pakistani journalist wrote on X.
In response, Suresh Raina reminded the journalist that he won the 2011 World Cup with Team India as well as the Men in Blue's win against Pakistan in Mohali.
"I’m not an ICC ambassador, but I have the 2011 World Cup at my house. Remember the game at Mohali? Hope it brings back some unforgettable memories for you." Raina wrote on X.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Shahid Afridi claimed that he had called Suresh Raina and convinced him to delete the tweet on his appointment as the T20 World Cup 2024 ambassador.
"I spoke to Suresh Raina over phone and made him understand like a younger brother. He realized it and he said, 'I will delete the tweet'. He is a very good boy and these things happen. To realize one's mistake is a trait of a good person." Afridi said in his YouTube video.
Suresh Raina played a vital role in helping Team India win the 2011 World Cup. In the semifinal against Pakistan, Raina played an unbeaten cameo innings of 36 off 39 balls to help the Men in Blue post 260/9 in 50 overs before the hosts bundled out Pakistan for 231 in 49.5 overs.
In the 2011 World Cup, Raina amassed 185 runs at an average of 30.83 in nine matches.
Suresh Raina retired from international in August 2020. He pulled his curtains down on his international after MS Dhoni decided to call it quits. Raina played for Team India in 322 matches and amassed 7988, including seven centuries, at an average of 32.87.
Raina holds the distinction of being the first Indian cricketer to score a century in all three formats of the game.
