A Indian Kerala community in Dubai is in hot water on social media after a video of them cheering on Pakistan’s former cricket player Shahid Afridi went viral. As Afridi approaches the stage at the venue, with performers in the backdrop, the crowd can be heard in the footage cheering enthusiastically.
The footage shows the audience applauding Afridi and yelling his nickname “boom boom” as he spoke to the assembly. The cricket player was spotted praising Kerala and its delicacies during his brief speech.
In a widely shared video, the audience screams loudly as Afridi takes the stage before being met with an exuberant ovation. He particularly likes “the Kerala part in India and its food,” Afridi said during his speech. Afridi responded, “Hogaya Boom Boom,” to the village members’ cries of “Boom Boom,” his famous moniker, which briefly interrupted the cultural presentation.
Backlash to Indian Kerala Community
After receiving harsh internet criticism for welcoming Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi in a recent program, a Kerala expat group in Dubai has apologized for the incident and stated that it was unintentional.
For a few days, the Cochin University Btech Alumni Association (CUBAA), UAE, has been under fire after a video of Afridi being warmly received at a recent event they hosted in Dubai went viral on social media.
Hated comments About India
Many internet users and right-wing followers were not pleased with the Pakistani cricket player’s enthusiastic reception.
Citing the Pakistani cricketer’s recent divisive comments against India and its Army in relation to the Pahalgam terror assault, they assailed the CUBAA office-bearers.
Afridi has continuously expressed anti-Indian sentiment, especially in light of the two nations’ continuing military and diplomatic tensions. Even “if a firecracker were to burst in India, fingers will always be pointed at Pakistan,” he claimed in an April interview with Pakistan’s Samaa TV. He continued by accusing Indian security forces of being responsible for the Pahalgam attack, saying: “Tum logon ki 8 lakh hi fauj hai Kashmir mein aur yeh ho gaya.” Even with an army of 800,000 in Kashmir, this still occurred. Iska matlab nalayak ho, nikamme ho na tum log security de nahi sake logon ko. If you are unable to provide people security, you are ineffective and worthless.
Anti-India Comment:
On Friday, May 30, 2025, the CUBAA office-bearers apologized on Instagram for the incident, which caused a lot of controversy, and stated that it was unintentional.
They said that, long before tensions between India and Pakistan arose, they had reserved Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) as the location for the second season of an intercollegiate dance competition, without mentioning Afridi.
Due to its cost, the same location was also utilized for the event’s inaugural season last year, according to the statement.
Sudden appearance
According to the CUBAA representatives, on May 25, cricket players, including Afridi, attended another function at the auditorium on the same day as their presentation.
These cricketers made a “unannounced and unsolicited appearance” at the Kerala community’s function, which was hosted in the same auditorium, they added, as their program was coming to an end.https://www.financialexpress.com/
Apologies By Indian Kerala Community
We apologize for any confusion or trouble this unforeseen development may have given to participants, attendees, or supporters. We sincerely apologize if our activities have offended or hurt anyone. They remarked, “We truly apologize to those impacted; it was never our intention.”
The expatriate community also reaffirmed their dedication to preserving our nation’s inclusive and unique culture.
We want to be clear that none of our officials, alumni, or organizing team members invited them or planned this appearance. This is further supported by our officially released event schedule, which excludes these people as visitors,” the organizers stated.
They added that because their presence came as a surprise, they were unable to control the crowd’s reaction in that brief period of time.
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