We have not got this much love even from Pakistan – Shahid Afridi

03/13/2016

After the month-long to-and-fro, the Pakistan team that landed in India was pleasantly surprised by the warm reception that Shahid Afridi emotionally declared that they had not received such love even back home. The Pakistan skipper also added that they never felt any security threat in India.

“I’ve 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, reported PTI.

“There are cricket-loving people here, much like in Pakistan. Overall, I’ve enjoyed a lot playing in India in my cricketing career,” he added.

The team appeared intent on playing down the security drama that the two boards had played out. Adding to Afridi's comments, Shoaib Malik said, he felt honoured to be in India.“Firstly I would like to thank the Indian Government. The security is very good. My wife is from India and I come to India a lot. I have never faced any security issue,” Malik said.

The batsman, who is married to Indian tennis star Sania Mirza, oozed camaraderie as he added, “I don’t really see any difference between Pakistani people and the Indians. We eat the same food, we speak the same language. I don’t really see any difference. I am very happy to be in India. I have always got a lot of love from people and from media. I’m honoured to be in India.”

However, the security question came up again as expected, and Afridi remarked, “Whatever decision the State takes, we are behind them. We are cricketers and not politicians. Sport always brings two nations together. Can there be anything better than cricket? I think we should keep politics away from it.”

Afridi also put down queries on the team's mental preparations in the midst of the security drama and said, “I think it’s nothing special. We were practising over there. We think about that. Physically and mentally we were ready that we will go definitely.”

“International cricket is all about pressure. The team which handles pressure well wins in the end,” he closed, reported PTI.