ICC World T20: BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur blasts Shahid Afridi for Kashmir comments

New Delhi: BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur on Wednesday criticised controversial Pakistan cricket team skipper Shahid Afridi for saying that "a lot of people from Kashmir" had come to support his team during the World Twenty20 match against New Zealand in Mohali.

Afridi has faced a backlash twice in a space of few days since the team's arrival in India for the mega event. The Pakistani skipper had earlier made "more love in India" comment, which in turn had garnered criticism from fans and ex-cricketer like Javed Miandad.

Anurag said that Afridi's statement was politically incorrect and that he should stay away from this.

"To give a statement like that is not politically correct. A player should stay away from all this. That's the reason why he was criticised in Pakistan," Thakur said.

On Tuesday, Pakistan lost against New Zealand in Mohali. Interestingly, a section of the crowd cheered Afridi at the toss, prompting former Pakistan skipper and commentator Rameez Raja to ask if he and his team had support from the spectators here.

Afridi had stated that a lot of people in the stadium were from Kashmir and he also thanked the crowd of Kolkata for cheering Pakistan in their two matches that was played there.

"Yes, a lot of people, a lot of people are here from Kashmir as well. And I want to thank people of Kolkata, they really support us as well," Afridi said.

Afridi has indicated that he will be retiring from the game after the World T20 event. 

Pakistan's final match is against Australia.

(With PTI inputs)