Gulbadin Naib opens up about his special bond with Axar Patel ahead of second T20I

Naib on Axar: "He picks up on the first ring"

Ahead of the 2nd T20I of the Friendship Cup, Afghanistan AR Gulbadin Naib pulled back the curtain on his genuine off-pitch bond with India's Axar Patel.

The connection: Naib says his relationship with Axar goes way beyond cricket. "I get along really well with Axar bhai. We always talk—whether I'm at home or wherever. Whenever I call, he picks up on the first ring, always replies to my messages," he said on Afghanistan Cricket's IG.

How it built: Shared franchise circuits—especially IPL environments—gave the two a natural space to connect away from international pressure. Naib admits he's friendly with several Indians, even Virat Kohli, but makes clear his tie with Axar sits in a different tier entirely.

The bigger picture: This is cricket diplomacy in real time. Three-match series kicked off Sept 13 at Arun Jaitley Stadium (all matches same venue), and it's the kind of on-field rivalry made richer by genuine respect underneath.

My read: Bonds like this don't just add feel-good headlines—they sharpen the competition. Two quality all-rounders who respect each other personally? That's a matchup to watch. Expect sharper tactics, sharper play.

#FriendshipCup #AfghanistanVsIndia #Naib #AxarPatr

Source: Crictracker