This is not the first time Afridi's comments have generated such reaction in India.
Shahid Afridi is one of the most followed cricketers in the world. The former Pakistan captain is not only popular in his own country but also across the border in India and enjoys a love-hate relatioship with Indian fans.
The outspoken Afridi has never shied away from airing his opinions on the complicated India-Pakistan relationship.
He landed himself in news again with his comments on Kashmir. Afridi has recently suggested that Pakistan doesn't need Kashmir and it's unable to even handle the four provinces it has. He advocated for Kashmir (PoK) to be given independence. As Indian media played up the comments as an admission of Pakistan's incompetence, Afridi has retracted his comments suggesting that his remarks were misconstrued.
This is not the first time Afridi's comments on India (and Kashmir) have generated such reaction in India and Pakistan.
1. Questioning the conditions in Kashmir
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Shahid Afridi has created controversy in April this year when he tweeted over the conditions in Indian Kashmir. Afridi had tweeted: "Appalling and worrisome situation ongoing in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. Innocents being shot down by oppressive regime to clamp voice of self determination (sic) & independence. Wonder where is the @UN & other int bodies & why aren't they making efforts to stop this bloodshed?"
Afridi received lot of flak in India. Gautam Gambhir and other cricketers also slammed Afridi for his comments.
(Image: PTI)
2. The Indian flag incident
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Shahid Afridi has lauded by fans on both sides of the border after his gesture involving an Indian fan in February this year. The cricketer while taking pictures with fans after a match at the Ice Cricket tournament in Switzerland asked an Indian fan to hold the folded tri-colour straight. The video of Afridi asking the fan "Flag seedha karo apna" went viral.
(Image: Twitter)
3. 'Indians not as large-hearted as Pakistanis'
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Shahid Afridi has caused another controversy when he said that Indians are not as large-hearted as Pakistanis. His comment came after losing to India in the 2011 ODI World Cup semifinals. "In my opinion, if I have to tell the truth, they (Indians) will never have hearts like Pakistanis. I don't think they have the large and clean hearts that Allah has given us," Afridi had said.
(Image: File Photo)
4. When Afridi got more love in India than Pakistan
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Afridi won the heart of Indian fans for saying that he got more love more in India than in his own country. He made the statement before the 2016 World T20 in India. The comments, however, did not go down well in Pakistan with even a case being registered against Afridi hurting sentiments there.
(Image: AFP)
