Shahid Afridi. The name has the ability elicit responses from the whole spectrum of human emotions. He has been loved, worshiped, emulated, hated, insulted, criticized and wished death upon… and everything in between.
Recently, the man, as the captain of Team Pakistan in the ICC World Twenty20, made a statement in response to a question about concerns regarding playing in India considering how the two countries aren’t enjoying the best of terms, these days. Afridi’s response has gone down in history.
He said that he felt more loved in India than he did in his home country, Pakistan.
Whoaa… right? Time to put all the fatwas on this bastard.
Here’s how Pakistanis have responded:
Some have made the obvious jokes about the garm josh Pakistanis:
Afridi fans be like#WT20 pic.twitter.com/Ehuy4POwh0
— Moochar (@AsliBinLaden) March 15, 2016
Jis hisab se afridi khelta hai us ko Team ka nai Titanic ka Captain jona chein tha
— Muhammad (@Proudi_Pakistan) March 15, 2016
Others have shown how much of a garm josh Pakistani they are:
Ab shahid afridi ka jitna dimagh hai utni hi baat karey ga na
— nasar (@nasar_in_london) March 15, 2016
There were jokes about the statement resulting in a possible Indian citizenship for Afridi:
Afridi has played really well. praising India means threat to his life.. speedy processing of his citizenship application in India… 😀
— Chutzpah Man (@abhishekjain118) March 15, 2016
@AsharNiaxi Nd ur afridi is made brand ambassador fr incredible india campaign as he's showing such love nd devotion pic.twitter.com/NVaYqhcqbO
— abhishek pandey (@abhi121jan) March 15, 2016
While some poor souls tried to use reasoning to help the ghairatmand folks understand the context of the statement:
Stayed at my cousins once,told them I got more love then my own home. That does not mean, My Parents or Siblings love me less.#Afridi
— Azeem Malik (@AzeemRmalik) March 15, 2016
Must’ve regretted doing that as soon as he sent out that tweet.
Biwi jokes were made too:
" We have more love here than in Pakistan " ~ Shahid Afridi
Is like Saying to your wife
" I love you but your sister is nice "#IndvsNZ ??
— Hriday (@beinghridophile) March 15, 2016
There were the international affairs experts contributing their token tweets:
#Trump is shadowing #Syria #MustafaKamal is shadowing #Karachi ops#Afridi gone political #WorldT20 @MoeedNj @mohsinmalvi19 @mmkhan582
— glory2u (@Khn2012) March 15, 2016
And the Afridi supporters responded to the criticism as well:
Ye wo qoum hy jo ganay Indian, manate basant aur holi, idol inka Ranbeer aur Shahrukh. Aur afridi ky comment par sab watan parast ho gaye.
— Arsi Chaudhry (@ArsiChaudhry17) March 15, 2016
I feel sorry fr Shahid Afridi. No matter what he says, he gets butchered, either in India or @ home. Just go out there & bat man! #ICCWT20
— Vijay Venkataramanan (@7th_Samurai) March 15, 2016
Whatever Afridi had done in the past just forget all the things. At this time he desperately needs our support & our prayers as well. #WT20
— Cricket Worm (@cricket_worm) March 15, 2016
It was announced that he is going to miss practice because he has a fever. Here’s what people had to say about that too:
Shahid Afridi is suffuring 4rm fever. What a lovely captian we have who cry after defeat & now he had fever coz of tension.#LoveyouAfridi
— saamia Amjad (@saamiaamjad) March 15, 2016
Afridi got fever bechara cant face Pakistani fans#afridi# waqaryounis# wt20
— Saima (@NaqvisaimaSaima) March 15, 2016
Shahid Afridi missed Pakistan's training session today due to high fever. We extend our best wishes to him and we wish him a speedy recovery
— Ahmad Safni (@safniaha8) March 15, 2016
But this guy used the whole controversy to pitch himself as the most eligible bachelor of Pakistan:
If i can still support Pakistan Cricket Team and Afridi, just imagine how much loyal would i be in relationship.
— B¡lal (@iamArican) March 15, 2016
Now, a lawyer in Lahore, having been “seriously distressed” by the statement made by Afridi filed a legal notice against him. Upon being questioned for the reason of his legal notice, this is what the said lawyer responded with:
“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. I have also written to PCB chairman Shahryar Khan to launch an inquiry into the statement of Afridi in India.”
He also added, “Afridi has let down the whole Pakistani nation for expressing more love for India than Pakistan. In fact, he has committed treason. Now who will ensure that Pakistani team will play against India in Kolkata in T20 match to win.”
We live in passionate times, indeed.
Cover Image via: Sky Sports
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