Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi Tuesday clarified his comments made in India which drew scathing criticism from the Pakistani nation.
The 36-year-old clarified his intention was simply to be respectful to rival fans, not upset those in Pakistan.
“I am not just the captain of Pakistan’s cricket team I am representing the whole country here,” he said. “The one statement I gave recently should be taken as positive.
“I did not mean to say that someone is dear to me more than Pakistan’s people. My identity and everything I have belong to Pakistan.
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“I was asked a question here in (the) media and I just wanted to give a positive reply to the people in the world who hear us. I just wanted to say that whenever we are here [in India] we always enjoy (it).
“Even if you ask the former greats such was Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan they all will say the same thing. People in India worship cricket and it is like a religion here.
“It is the sport that many times has helped India and Pakistan in improving the ties therefore I just wanted to be positive.
“But if someone will take it as a negative comment he will draw a negative conclusion too.”
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On the other hand, Afridi did not participate in training session at Eden Gardens in Kolkate due to fever.
Earlier, Shahid Afridi was strongly bashed by the Pakistanis on social media after his recent press conference in Kolkata in which he stated that “we are more loved here than in Pakistan.”
Holding press conference in Kolkata on Sunday, Afridi brushed off concerns over security for his team at the World T20, saying he was looking forward to playing in front of India’s raucous crowds.
Despite being confident of his team’s chances, Afridi said India were playing “very good cricket” at the moment and would be tough to beat in front of their home crowds.
“We have always enjoyed playing in India and have been loved by Indian crowds more than crowds back home in Pakistan. We are cricketers and not politicians,” he added.
Afridi’s comments drew so much outrage that one Pakistani lawyer even says he has served him and the chairman of the country s cricket board, Najam Sethi, with a legal notice.
“Afridi has let down the whole Pakistani nation for expressing more love for India than Pakistan,” said Pakistani lawyer Azhar Saddique.
On Monday, Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by a margin of 15 runs in the warm-up match played at the Eden Gardens cricket stadium in Kolkata.
Star batsman Mohammad Hafeez smashed unbeaten 70 runs while Afridi departed for a golden duck.
The skipper was equally ineffective with the ball as well. He went on to concede 40 runs in the 4 overs he bowled and he did not pick any wicket.
Afridi holds the record for the being dismissed at zero for the most times in T20 matches as he has been dismissed for a duck on 5 occasions so far.
