India spinner R Ashwin and former South Africa batsman Herschelle Gibbs were involved in a Twitter spat on Monday. The off-spinner raked up the latter’s alleged involvement in the 2000 match-fixing scandal while replying to a jibe about his perceived inability to run fast.
Replying to Ashwin’s post regarding a running shoe brand, Gibbs replied suggesting that the new footwear would help enhance the spinner’s ability to run fast. Ashwin, though, took the war of words to a higher level with a sharp retort.
“...I wasn’t as blessed as you were. But I was blessed with a wonderfully ethical mind not to fix games which put food on my plate,” said Ashwin taking a swipe at Gibbs, who was was fined and suspended for six months by his national board after admitting he agreed to under-perform in a one-day international as part of the match-fixing scandal spearheaded by then South Africa captain Hansie Cronje.
Gibbs was quick to sense that the joke had not landed well with Ashwin and chose to douse the fire choosing not to retaliate.
Sensing that he might have over-reacted, Ashwin looked to conceal his scathing retort as a joke as well. “I am totally game for this sort of fun mate, we shall dine over this sometime,” Ashwin said.
In 2006, the South African batsman had accepted that he was offered money to undeperform in exchange for money in 2000. The offer was relayed to him by Cronje, who was subsequently banned from cricket for life.
It was Gibbs’ first trip to India since the scandal broke out. He went onto play for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.
Ashwin later pulled down the tweet, stating that: “What’s sensitive to me isn’t to someone else, and what’s sensitive to you isn’t to me.”
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