Why do we hate India?, asks Afridi




New Delhi: Even before the season of gloom, set-off by the defeat to India in the World Cup semi-final, gets over in Pakistan, Shahid Afridi’s disturbing posers on “the hate towards India” has left many of his fellow countrymen squirming.

The Pakistan captain had upon arrival in Karachi from Mohali, yesterday, apologised to his nation for losing the World Cup semifinal to arch-rivals India, but praised his team for playing beyond expectations in the tournament. He had also made it a point to wish India “all the best for the final”.

However, the Pakistani media continued to harp on the enormity of the defeat as it was at the hands of India and continued to pose disturbing questions to Afridi, like, “what would be Pakistan’s game plan to defeat India when they play each other the next time around?”.


Afridi’s candid reply: “I don’t know why we are against India so much. I don’t understand the mindset of people here, why are we so opposed to India? ….Why is there so much hatred against India, are there no other teams?”.

“If that’s the case then why are so many Indian TV soaps watched in every household here… our marriage rituals are so very similar to theirs… lot of Indian movies are being watched here, then why is this hatred for India, why only with India?,” he retorted back.

Trying to soothe frayed nerves, Afridi said, “Everything should be taken in its correct context. Cricket is a sport and should be taken as a sport,” while also expressing confidence that Pakistani team will beat defeat all top teams of the world in the future.

At his combative best, Afridi trained his guns on Interior Minister Rehman Malik for his pre-match “warning” to players to stay away from match-fixing.

"I don`t think the timing was right. He telephoned me three or four times and he tried to explain things but I could not understand what he was saying as I was busy with my work.
I think he made a mistake and I hope such mistakes aren`t made by anyone in future," he said.

Afridi also lent credence to reports that he is looking to skip the upcoming West Indies tour, starting April 18 by saying that he wants to rest and spend time with his family.

Interestingly, contrary to popular expectation, the Pakistani cricket team had returned to a warm welcome with fans showering the players with flowers and shouting slogans in support of Afridi.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

It's hardly Harrow: Art teacher's topless pictures spread like wildfire among public schoolboys ....

Image
These sensational pictures have rocked one of Britain’s most hallowed institutions – Harrow School.  Topless photographs of an art tutor at the £30,000-a-year private school have been circulating its classrooms, dorms and corridors.  Joanne Salley, 32, a former model and TV presenter, posed provocatively in just a tight pair of jeans.  Pose: The art teacher Joanne Salley, 32, is a former model and TV presenter, whose topless photographs were circulated amongst pupils In one shot she is draped over a bookcase crammed with tomes on art history.  Her tousled brunette hair reaches down to the small of her tanned back. In another moody image, she stares straight at the camera. The pictures were captured by a fellow teacher at the school, professional photographer Fiona Corthine, as first reported by the Daily Mail’s Richard Kay. They are believed to have been taken on school grounds – in its art rooms. The pictures were discovered by a pupil in the school’s photography laboratory – where t
Read more

Not comfortable with nudity: Priyanka Chopra

Image
Mumbai , April 30 - Though she has portrayed many bold characters on the  silver screen , Bollywood actress  Priyanka Chopra says she is not comfortable with nudity in films. The 28-year-old, who has done steamy scenes in films like "Andaaz", "Aitraaz" and "Fashion" among others, says that among the few things that she would not indulge in would be nudity. "Nudity is something that I wouldn't be comfortable with. Even if I  play  the most complex and weird parts which are raunchy or whatever it has to be, the portrayal of a  character  is to a point where it is aesthetically done. It has to be something that I won't be averse to showing my parents. I have to be able to sit with them  and watch  it. "Even if it's a film like 'Saat Khoon Maaf', the  thought  of the scenes was a lot more than what was actually seen. And that is aesthetically well done," Priyanka, who was part of a youth forum organised by MTV, told repor
Read more

India vs Sri Lanka: ICC bans TV channels from covering World Cup final

Image
                                  A day before the World Cup final clash between India and Sri Lanka , the International Cricket Council (ICC) renewed the ban on Indian television news channels from covering the match at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.  ICC on Friday cancelled the accreditation for all Indian news channels from being allowed inside the stadium.  ICC's cancellation came despite the intervention from the Information & Broadcast Ministry.  Information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni had also taken up the issue with agriculture minister and ICC president Sharad Pawar after the Cabinet meeting on Thursday.  TV channels were permitted to cover the India-Pakistan World Cup semifinals after ICC lifted the ban on accredited journalists from the news channels for a day, following intervention by Soni. She had written a letter to Pawar requesting him to restore the status-quo and allow the electronic media to report on the event as was the case earlier.
Read more