‘Shame on you’: Shocked Miandad slams Afridi’s India love
Former cricket captain Javed Miandad lambasted Shahid Afridi on Monday for his comment that Pakistan’s cricketers were loved more by Indians fans than those in their own country.
Former cricket captain Javed Miandad has slammed Shahid Afridi, who says that Pakistani players are loved more by Indians fans than those in their country.
“These cricketers should be ashamed of themselves for saying such a thing. Shame on you!” Miandad said on Aaj TV channel.
Miandad was one of India’s toughest rivals and his son is married to the country’s most wanted gangster Dawood Ibrahim’s daughter.
Afridi and senior player Shoaib Malik praised India on Sunday for the World Twenty20 championship, insisting that they have never felt threatened in the neighbour country even though their arrival was delayed due to security concerns.
“I have not enjoyed playing anywhere as much as I have in India. 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,” Afridi said.
Miandad said Pakistan have gone to India to play in the World T20 but it does not mean that the players should pander to the hosts.
“What have the Indians given us? Speak the truth even while in India. For the last five years what have they given us or done with Pakistan cricket? Having served Pakistan cricket for so many years, I am shocked and hurt to hear such comments from our players,” Miandad said.
Read | Pakistan: Petition against Afridi for ‘getting more love in India’
The veteran of 124 Tests said the Pakistan cricket authorities must look into this matter and there should be media classes for the players when they go abroad.
Read: Never got so much love in Pak, says Afridi on arrival in India
“The job of this team is to go and play well in India not make such unnecessary comments,” he said.
Pakistan’s former Test opener and chief coach Mohsin Khan too expressed surprise over the comments made by Afridi and Malik.
“They are senior players and should be careful while speaking to the media specially while touring India,” Khan said.
The Pakistani team reached India last Saturday after their government gave a clearance to travel, a decision that was delayed by several days due to security concerns.
Pakistan’s marquee World T20 clash against India on March 19 had to be moved from Dharamsala to Kolkata after Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh expressed his inability to provide adequate security cover in the wake of protests by the state’s ex-servicemen.