Irfan Pathan, a former Indian all-rounder, has been a vital member of the Indian Premier League (IPL) since its inception in 2008. Pathan, who has played for several teams over his ten-year career, recently disclosed which IPL team he prefers. Even though he wore many different jerseys during his playing career, he loves the Punjab Kings (previously Kings XI Punjab) the most.
During his 2008–2017 IPL career, Pathan played for the Gujarat Lions (defunct franchise), Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rising Pune Supergiant (dead team), Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), and Kings XI Punjab. He played for Punjab from 2008 to 2010, when he had the most success, taking 47 wickets in the first three seasons and scoring 603 runs. He took 80 wickets and hit 1139 runs in 103 games overall.
When asked which IPL team he preferred, Irfan Pathan quickly mentioned the Punjab Kings as his favourite.
“My favourite IPL team is the Punjab Kings as I still have memories of playing for them and they were my first IPL squad. Even the other proprietors were wonderful and compassionate, but Preity Zinta was the most outstanding. Playing for them for the first three years was enjoyable. Although they lost the wager to the Delhi Capitals, they fought valiantly for me all the way to the finish and were also planning to select me in the fourth edition. I’m a huge fan of the team,” the former stated on his YouTube channel.
Since he thinks the Punjab team has a chance to do well in the 2025 Indian Premier League, Pathan’s emotional bond to them is still quite strong. He even recommended Shreyas Iyer squad to make it to the playoffs and referred to them as the tournament’s “dark horse.”
In addition, the forty-year-old has a great deal of respect for other IPL teams. Because of their robust fan bases and team cultures, he singled out the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Mumbai Indians, and Chennai Super Kings.
“I also have a great deal of respect for Chennai because of the way they treat their players. Whether they win or lose, their culture remains strong. Finally, I appreciate Royal Challengers Bengaluru because of their amazing fan base. The Mumbai Indians are another club I greatly admire because they develop fresh talent. Their team has a devoted following that never stops cheering them on. One of my well-known quotes is, “You can win any battle if you have the same devotion as RCB supporters,” the southpaw continued.
The former all-rounder also admitted that he had a soft spot for the Kolkata Knight Riders because his brother, Yusuf Pathan, had played for them and they were a winning team under Gautam Gambhir.
“My brother Yusuf used to play for KKR, Shahrukh Khan is their owner, and Gautam Gambhir was a member of the team, which is another reason I appreciate them. I’m quite attached to these four or five franchises,” Pathan said.
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