Mumbai: Pakistan's T-20 captain Shahid Afridi's "love for India" has not gone down well with the Pakistani media.
“I've not enjoyed playing anywhere as much as I have in India," Afridi, in his first press conference after landing in India, said in Kolkata on Sunday.
Read: Got more love in India than in Pakistan, says Shahid Afridi
"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."
There are cricket-loving people here, much like in Pakistan. Overall, I've enjoyed a lot playing in India in my cricketing career."
The Pakistani media is annoyed with Afridi's recent remarks.
"In last World Cup he (Afridi) was saying: India walon ke dil chhote hain. (Indians have no love for us). Indians have no hearts like Muslims and Pakistanis. It is a very difficult thing for us to live with them (Indians) or to have long-term relations with them," one of the TV reporters says from Pakistan.
He should have been careful with his words but he has been careless," another TV journalist (Asif) said from Karachi.
Shoaib Malik, who is married to India's tennis player Sania Mirza, saw no difference between fans of both countries. "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."
The PCB, however, is unlikely to take any action against Afridi regarding this issue.
"What can be done? These words came out instantly from his mouth," a member of the team staff, said.
"I don't think any action will be taken on Afridi for these comments," he said.
The strict disciplinarian Intikhab Alam has been given all powers (by the PCB) to take disciplinary action on the players who try to break the harmony of the team-spirit.
The team is satisfied with the security accorded to the team.
"We are made comfortable here," one of the team members said.
The team was provided lunch in the Etihad Airways aircraft (EU 256) on Saturday. They had a long stay in Abu Dhabi before boarding a direct flight to Kolkata.
"The pilot greeted the team at the aircraft. However, there was no welcome announcement by him during the journey," the source added.
"The chief pilot many a times doesn't announce this,” he said.
