Pakistan T20 cricket team skipper Shahid Afridi has become embroiled in yet another controversy after a petition was filed against him in the Lahore High Court over his latest remark that “the Pakistan cricket team gets more love in India than in their home country”.
Afridi on Sunday said during a press conference in Kolkata, the capital of India’s West Bengal state, that his team always enjoyed playing in India and was loved by Indian crowds more than back home.
“We have always enjoyed playing in India and have been loved by Indian crowds more than crowds back home in Pakistan. Cricket has always brought people together and I think politics should be kept away from cricket,” he said.
Filing the petition on Monday, advocate Azhar Siddique argued that Afridi’s statement has hurt Pakistani sentiments and the court must ask the skipper to explain his remarks.
“Your remarks have hurt the feelings of Pakistanis,” the notice which was sent on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s official address by Judicial Activism Panel Chairman Azhar Saddiq read.
The notice pointed out that establishing diplomatic relations or otherwise is the duty of the government and not of a player, adding the Pakistan team captain should not have issued such a statement.
Further, it demanded Afridi to issue a clarification of his statement otherwise an application would be filed to try him for treason charges under Article 6 of the Constitution.
The Pakistan cricket team currently in India to take part in World T20 cricket tournament. Pakistan, who begin their Super 10 campaign on Wednesday, have never beaten India in a World Cup.
Pakistan’s first match of the main tournament will be held at Eden Gardens on March 16 against a qualifier team, followed by the marquee clash against arch-rival India at the same venue on March 19. They will then take on New Zealand (March 22) and Australia (March 25) in their remaining Group B matches — both in Mohali.
The Pakistan team was to fly out on Wednesday but the government had put their departure on hold, citing security concerns. On Thursday, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had ruled out sending the team until special security assurances were met from India.
The matter was solved following security assurances from the Indian government.
Petition against Afridi ‘for getting more love in India than in Pakistan’
