Irfan Pathan fiercely defends his wife Safa Baig against online trolls targeting her blurred photos and attire. Calling her the “leader of my house,” he slams negativity and stands strong against disrespect, emphasizing love and support over baseless criticism.
Irfan Pathan with his wife Safa Baig
The life of an Indian cricketer is a mix of highs and lows. Millions cheer their successes, but missteps can bring harsh criticism. Sometimes, fans go too far with hurtful comments, even targeting players’ families. Irfan Pathan, a member of India’s 2007 T20 World Cup team, knows this firsthand. His wife, Safa Baig, has unfortunately been the target of online abuse.
Since Pathan and Safa married in 2016, she’s faced negativity for things as minor as wearing nail polish and has had her photos analyzed closely on social media. She’s seen it all.
“It felt very bad in the beginning, and I thought this wasn’t needed. My wife is the leader of my house. Similarly, my mother was the leader of our house. So, it doesn’t feel right if someone says something about my leaders. Yes, trolling has happened, and that too in the wrong manner. My wife felt really bad initially when it happened. My policy is not to read any comments,” Irfan Pathan was quoted as saying to The Lallantop.
“If it were up to me, I would post pictures of my family every day. However, despite being a public figure, I am a very private person. I feel that our real happiness should not be showcased in public. Everyone finds their children very beautiful – so do I. My son Suleiman, I feel he is the most handsome man, with curls and light eyes. Imran, his manners are very good. And what makes my wife beautiful is not only her looks but her character,” he added.
In addition to his personal challenges, Irfan also talked about the professional obstacles he encountered throughout his cricket career. He remembered that even with impressive performances, he found himself on the sidelines during MS Dhoni’s leadership. Referring to the 2009 tour of New Zealand, Irfan disclosed that he remained on the bench for the entire ODI series and played in just two T20 matches. When he approached head coach Gary Kirsten for clarification, he was informed, “There are things not in my hands,” which made it evident to Irfan that the decision was made by Dhoni.
“Kirsten gave me two reasons. He said, ‘There are things that are not in my hands.’ Those were Gary’s exact words. I asked whose hands it was in, but he didn’t tell me. I already knew whose hands it was in. The playing XI is decided by the captain’s choice. The decision rests with the captain, coach, and management. Dhoni was the captain at that time. I won’t get into whether that decision was right or wrong, because every captain has the right to run the team in his own way,” said Pathan.