Shahid Afridi expects mature reaction from Pakistani fans after Mohali defeat: ICC World Cup 2011
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482, captain Pakistan cricket team, expects a mature reaction from the fans when the World Cup team returns home on 1st April after going down to nemesis India in the tournament semi-final on Wednesday.
"I think people have realised that we have put in our full effort. We have won six out of eight matches which is a big achievement," said Afridi after losing to Dhoni-led http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 side in the high-octane second semi-final of the ongoing World Cup. "We have confidence (in our fans). Our country has backed us so much. People who love you so much can criticise you as well. It's not a big deal," he added further.
The 1992 World Champions have not played a single International match at home ever since the armed attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team took place in Lahore in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/March-c74391 2009. The attacks heightened security fears, costing the country its World Cup hosting rights as well.
The recent spot-fixing scandal that led Pakistan team to lose three of its key players including, Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif raised serious doubts about the integrity of the players.
Looking at the team’s build-up to the World Cup, there were quite a few groups betting on http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 to win the high profile tournament for the second time. However, cricket pundits were far less optimistic, and were unwilling to consider the Cornered Tigers among the final-four of the World Cup. Afridi and his men, nonetheless, proved the critics wrong by winning six of their eight World Cup matches.
The Captain praised his team for the performance the players delivered, despite coming straight from a tumultuous 12-month tour filled with many off-field controversies, including the spot-fixing saga.
"In my opinion we have played better than 2003 and 2007 when our teams were much better. Nobody was expecting anything from this team. I am proud of this team," the flamboyant skipper added.
As finalists of the 1999 World Cup, the team faced first-round exits in the 2003 and 2007 episodes of the showpiece event. The situation during the World Cup 2007 particularly worsened after Bob Woolmer’s death, following Pakistan’s humiliating defeat at the hands of tournament minnows, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ireland-c751.
Previously, the fans pelted stones at many of the players’ houses in frustration, but Afridi was hopeful nothing of the sort would happen this time after the team returns home.
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