Captain Shahid Afridi who has been slammed at home for his “more loved in India than in Pakistan“comment has won support from team head coach and former bowling legend Waqar Younis, reported on Tuesday.
“I did not find anything controversial in Afridi’s remark,” Waqar told reporters in Kolkata while Sunil Gavaskar had said that Afridi’s statement “will win the heart of the Eden crowd.”
Talking about Afridi’s health, Waqar said that he will be okay and will play against Bangladesh tomorrow. 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.
Afridi and senior player Shoaib Malik had praised India after landing for the World T20, insisting that they never felt threatened in the country even though their departure was delayed due to security concerns.
“We have always enjoyed playing in India and have been loved by Indian crowds more than crowds back home in Pakistan,” Afridi had said.
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.
Twenty20 captain moved to clarify his comments made in India, saying “I am not just the captain of Pakistan 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”, he said.
