India, May 31 -- After a massive social media outrage over a viral video showing former Pakistani cricketers Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul receiving a warm reception from the Kerala community at an event in Dubai, the organisers have issued a clarification expressing "deep regret" and offering an apology.

The Cochin University B.Tech Alumni Association (CUBAA), which organised the event, clarified that Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul were not invited by them. According to CUBAA, the ex-cricketers were at the venue on the same day for an entirely different event - a Guinness World Record attempt for the Largest UAE Flag made with Handprints. This detail was also mentioned in a Gulf News report published on May 27, 2025.

The controversy stems fro...