Pakistan media lashes out at Shahid Afridi for praising India

Pakistani captain Shahid Afridi’s words have come back to bite him, after Pakistani media unanimously criticized Afridi for his comments in a press conference in Kolkata on Sunday. Afridi has said during the press conference that he feels that he is more loved in India than in Pakistan.

Pakistan was the last of the teams to reach India for the World Cup, after a tense situation which saw the game being shifted from Dharamshala to Kolkata, amidst protests from ex-servicemen of Indian army after the attacks by terrorists in Pathankot.

The Pakistani media are enraged after Afridi said, “I am in the last stage of my career and I can say that the love I have got in India is something that I will always remember. We have not got this much love even from Pakistan.”  The reaction from the fans in Pakistan and journalists show the passion and love for cricket it has when it comes to clashes against India.

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Even former captain Javed Miandad said that Afridi should be more careful while speaking ill about his own country, in order to make artificial statements in a rival country. He also sharply reacted to Afridi’s comments and said that last time Afridi visited India; he had said that Indians don’t have large hearts like Pakistani’s do and Miandad said that he didn’t understand what made Afridi say such things.

A lawyer by the name of Azhar Siddique has filed a complaint in the Lahore high court, stating that Afridi should explain why he made such statements that have hurt Pakistani fan’s sentiments. The court has given Afridi 15 days to respond.

India and Pakistan will face off against each other on March 19 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata in a very serious match, as Pakistan have not lost a match at Eden Gardens against India, India have not lost to Pakistan in any World Cup matches. Also the match will be attended by World Cup winners Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Akram and Imran Khan.