Shahid Afridi was saved from embarrassment by one of his fans at a McDonald’s restaurant inside Auckland airport on Monday when the Pakistan T20 captain realised he was not carrying local currency to pay for his meal.
Waqas Naveed, who paid Afridi’s bill, said, “I did it just to welcome these guys [the Pakistan team].” “Every Pakistani is a big cricket fan and it’s great to see our local stars here in Auckland,” he added.
Afridi was recently embroiled in a tiff with the media trial after the veteran all-rounder gave a dismissive reply to a television reporter before leaving for the New Zealand tour.
Afridi on Wednesday found himself in the middle of a storm by admonishing a local TV reporter during a press conference held in Lahore after his captaincy credentials were questioned. His response triggered a small protest by the media outside stadium, with reporters demanding an apology.
The 35-year-old has a record of being frank in his views, something which has led to him being sanctioned in the past. Pakistan are scheduled to play three T20s and as many ODIs against the Kiwis, with the tour set to kick off on January 15.
