Shahid Afridi once again brought up the Kashmir issue on Friday as he thanked supporters from the valley for turning up to cheer his team in the lost World T20 match against Australia here in Mohali on March 25.
“I want to thank the people of Kolkata (the venue of a previous World T20 match against India) for supporting us. I thank people who came and supported us from Pakistan and Kashmir. I also want to thank the BCCI for taking good care of us in India,” Afridi said in the post-match presentation after Pakistan’s 21-run defeat to Australia drawing a loud applause from the stands.
The defeat to Australia knocked out Pakistan from the World T20 2016. Pakistan have won only one match against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens.
In the previous match against New Zealand, Afridi had similarly thanked supporter from Kashmir during the toss, a comment that drew flak from BCCI secretary and BJP MP Anurag Thakur.
Thakur had slammed Pakistan T20 captain as he said, “Afridi’s comment was “not politically correct”.
Afridi is set to face Pakistan Cricket Board’s wrath as their campaign end with a sore note. Earlier PCB had said that Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younis will be sacked irrespective of the outcome Pakistan’s performance in the World T20.
That sensitive comment was lambasted with former captain Javed Miandad going to the extent of saying that the all-rounder should be ashamed of himself.
Taking a dig at those who criticized him for that remark, Afridi today said, “My comment was meant for educated people.”