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Tuesday, Jun 07, 2011
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Rousing welcome for Afridi

Karachi: Pakistan's sacked captain Shahid Afridi returned home to a rousing welcome from thousands of fans and said the huge turnout was a vindication of his stance against the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The 31-year-old all-rounder was given a warm welcome at the Karachi airport on Sunday night but when he reached his residence in Gulshan-e-Iqbal a bigger crowd had gathered outside to show their solidarity and support for him.

Wearing a yellow T-shirt, Afridi was hoisted on their shoulders by fans who raised slogans in his favour and showered him with rose petals. One enthusiastic fan also lit a torch and handed it to the flamboyant cricketer who was all smiles at the crowd turnout. “I am simply stunned by the large number of people who have shown up to support me. This is a vindication of my stand in the dispute with the board,” Afridi said.

He also made it clear that as long as his fans were behind him, he would continue his fight against “injustice” by the board. Earlier, the all-rounder told Geo News that his dispute with the board had nothing to do with losing the captaincy of the national one-day team.

“I have never run after the captaincy and that is not the issue for me. The issue is of self respect and the way the board is treating players in the national team,” he said.

Afridi claimed there were many players who felt like him about the board's attitude but didn't say anything for fear of losing their central contracts and places in the team. — PTI

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