Irfan Pathan, former Indian cricketer, has voiced his opposition to "fake news" being spread in his name. He claimed to have never spoken "ill" of any religion.

Pathan denied making any such remarks on Instagram and asked followers not to post anything about him or quotations that were ascribed to him without first checking them.

Over the course of a nearly ten-year career, the 41-year-old represented India in 29 Tests, 120 ODIs, and 24 T20Is. The former India all-rounder attacked those who spread false information in his message of clarification.

"Fake news is being circulated using my name, without any proof, simply to gain views. I urge everyone not to believe or share it. If the news is not coming directly from me, kindly do not trust it. I have never, ever spoken ill of any faith, let alone my own. I strongly urge everyone to verify the facts before believing or spreading such false claims," Irfan Pathan stated on his Instagram.

Pathan is currently representing the India Champions at the World Championship of Legends (WCL 2026) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Pakistan's withdrawal from this year's WCL caused criticism.

Pakistan withdrew from the WCL because the organizers refused its request for a formal apology from the Indian team, according to sources who spoke with NDTV.

Despite its initial resistance, PCB agreed to provide NOCs, according to NDTV, but demanded a formal apology from the Indian team for its behavior during the previous season. However, the WCL organizers turned down the request.

Additionally, the PCB has asked the WCL organizers to guarantee that they would not protest if Indian players decided not to compete. The Pakistani team chose to withdraw from the competition as a result.