'Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul were not invited': Kerala community event organisers in Dubai respond to row

CUBAA stressed that the team was unable to restrict Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul or manage the crowd response due to the sudden visit.

Dubai: Former Pakistan cricketers Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul attended an event hosted by a Kerala community in Dubai stirring controversy. A viral video shows Afridi and Gul being welcomed by the organisers to loud cheers from the crowd. A few attendees chanted "Boom Boom" — a reference to Afridi’s nickname, to which the 47-year-old responded-- “Hogaya Boom Boom."

Scroll to load tweet…

The Cochin University B.Tech Alumni Association (CUBAA) had organised the event at the Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) on May 25. In a statement released on May 30, CUBAA said that the cricketers were not invited and turned up unexpectedly.

“We had officially booked and announced PAD Dubai as the venue for Ormachuvadukal Season 2 on April 05th 2025, well before the recent geopolitical tensions between India and a neighboring nation began. The same venue was used for Season 1 last year due to its affordability. At the time of our event, the diplomatic tensions had already eased. Due to the unavailability of an alternative venue on short notice, we proceeded with the program as scheduled at PAD Dubai,” the statement read.

CUBAA further said that Afridi and Gul visited PAD Dubai as part of the Guinness World Record for Largest UAE Flag with Handprints. “This flag was displayed on the the main entrance of the Auditorium where our event was being conducted. As our program was concluding, these cricketers made an unannounced and unsolicited appearance at our event, which was held in the same auditorium. We would like to categorically state that no member of our organizing team, officials or alumni members invited them nor coordinated this appearance. Our officially published event schedule, which does not include these individuals as guests, further supports this,” they added.

The statement stressed that the team was unable to restrict their access or manage the crowd response appropriately in that short span of time due to the sudden visit. “We regret any confusion or inconvenience caused to attendees, participants, or supporters due to this unplanned development. We deeply regret any hurt or offense our actions may have caused. It was never our intention, and we sincerely apologize to those affected. We remain committed to maintaining the cultural and inclusive spirit of our country. We appreciate the continued support and understanding of the wider community,” the statement added.

Scroll to load tweet…