Pakistan's flamboyant allrounder, Shahid Afridi on Saturday denied provoking Shoaib Akhtar and claimed Mohammad Asif could have suffered more injuries, had he not stepped in to stop the brawl in Johannesburg.
After being recalled from South Africa from the Twenty20 World Cup, Shoaib today alleged that Afridi was behind the brawl during which he hit Asif on his left thigh with a bat.
"Afridi was responsible for the fight. He made some ill remarks about my family. It had all started as a joke and it was nothing serious until the remarks from Afridi about my family. I had no fight with Asif; he is like a younger brother to me. I did not hit him intentionally it was an accident," Shoaib said in a press conference.
Afridi, however, strongly refuted the allegations and said he was surprised at the accusations made by Shoaib.
"I can't say much because I am bound by the central contract. But it is a fact that Shoaib has been facing one problem or the other in the last two years and he is frustrated," Afridi said.
"I have had a good relationship with him so I don't know why he has targeted me. But he is lying and it would be better if everyone asked Asif what happened. I know Asif could have suffered more injuries if I had not stepped in," he said.