I merely gave a diplomatic statement: Afridi

In an audio statement posted by the Pakistan Cricket Board on its Twitter handle, Afridi has clarified that he was not trying to belittle Pakistani fans. “I am not just captain of the Pakistan cricket team but I am representing all the Pakistani people here and I think if one looks at my comment in a positive way then it is obvious that I did not mean to say that anybody else would matter more to me than Pakistani fans,” Afridi said. 

Afridi has been criticised for the statement made on Sunday with former captain Javed Miandad calling it shameful. “I was asked a question by a journalist and I tried to answer it in a positive way because I know whatever I say would be heard all across the world. 

So I was merely trying to give a positive message to the rest of the world that we enjoy a lot when we play in India. “Whether it is Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis or Inzamam ul Haq, they will also say that they get a lot of respect here because cricket is literally worshipped in India. I merely gave a diplomatic statement so that the message that goes to the world is that cricket brings people together and Indo-Pak relations have always got a boost because of cricket,” Afridi said.