ISLAMABAD – The Standing Committee of National Assembly on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage has taken exception to former T20 captain Shahid Khan Afridi’s statement regarding the dearth of cricket talent in Pakistan and noted that the player’s remarks had caused damage to country’s repute.
A meeting of the committee was held here at the Parliament House with Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla in the chair on Thursday.
During the meeting, Arifa Khalid Parvez, a member of the committee drew attention of the chair towards Afridi’s statement and said that the player had mocked the country.
“He (Afridi) thinks he is the only talented cricketer in the country, while about others he has a very poor opinion,” she remarked.
The panel which besides the chairman was comprised of Shakir Bashir Awan, Waseem Akhtar Shaikh, Parveen Masood Bhatti, Syed Amir Ali Shah Jamote, Belum Hasnain, Murad Saeed, Muhammad Azhar Khan Jadoon, Naeema Kishwer Khan and Malik Muhammad Aamir Dogar seconded Arifa’s point of view and condemned Afridi’s statement.
Later, talking to APP Arifa said that the former T20 skipper’s statement showed that he believes to be the only talented player in the country. Look at him he is making fun of others, he deems himself fit and talented but about several others he thinks otherwise, she added.
“We are a highly talented nation. The entire world admires our talent in cricket and other sports. But he says our talent does not meet demands of the game. Such statements are tantamount to playing with the emotions of the nation. Nobody is willing to buy his arguments,” she maintained.
Afridi, in a recent interview, reportedly, had stated that cricket talent in Pakistan was not meeting the game’s demand.
In the same interview, he also announced to continue to play for Pakistan in limited over cricket as he was fit as compared to several other players.
