Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi moved to clarify comments made about the love he receives in India. Preparing for the World Twenty20 in India, Afridi caused controversy by saying he was given more love in the host country than in his homeland.
>Javed Miandad blasts Afridi for his comments
The 36-year-old clarified those comments on Monday, saying his intention was simply to be respectful to rival fans, not upset those in Pakistan. "I did not mean to say that someone is dear to me more than Pakistan's people," Afridi said.
"My identity and everything I have belong to Pakistan. I was asked a question here in [the] media and I just wanted to give a positive reply to the people in the world who hear us. I just wanted to say that whenever we are here we always enjoy [it]. Even if you ask the former greats such was Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Inzamam-ul-Haq [and] Imran Khan, they all will say the same thing. People in India worship cricket and it is like a religion here.
"I just wanted to give a positive message to the world in a diplomatic way that we people love cricket and want to play it."
Pakistan starts its Twenty20 campaign against Bangladesh on Wednesday before a meeting with India in Kolkata three days later.
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