NEW DELHI: Indian cricket stars Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh have hit out at Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi for his comments that Indians do not have big clean hearts like Pakistani Muslims.
Afridi also praised Pakistans media for being 100 times better than Indias in a Pakistani TV show aired Sunday that has caused hurt and anger across the border in India.
If Indians were not large-hearted, they would not have made so much of progress and delivered growth, Harbhajan was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India news agency.
I think its been an uncalled for reaction. It wouldnt help the love and respect with which he is treated in this country.
Pakistanis indeed have very large hearts which is evident by their generous gesture of dropping so many catches against India during the semi-final clash, Yuvraj said.
India would not have gone to the final had it not been for Pakistans large-heartedness!
Pakistan dropped four catches of Sachin Tendulkar who went on to make a vital 85 and fashion Indias 29-run win over their rivals.
Afridi insisted later that his remarks had been taken out of context, although he stood by his comments about the Indian media.
His remarks shocked fans in India, who had greeted his efforts during the World Cup to promote harmony between the estranged neighbours whose diplomatic relations are fraught with tension.
