Pakistan star all rounder Shahid Afirid has blasted out to the arrest of an Indian student for wearing a shirt bearing his name, calling it "shameful" on Wednesday.
"It was shameful to arrest a fan for wearing my shirt," the 36-year-old told AFP. "Such incidents don't suit civilised people."
He said fans in both India and Pakistan put the sport above the often-fraught relations between their countries and admired each others' players.
"You cannot stop fans from supporting a player by arresting them," he said. "Sports and politics should be kept apart and such incidents go against the principles of sportsmanship."
Afridi himself landed in hot water with home fans for saying he got "more love" in India than he did in Pakistan, ahead of a crucial clash in the World Twenty20 in March.
Ripon Chowdhury a young lad from the Indian state of Assam was arrested on Saturday by local police following a complaint filed by the youth wing of the ruling extremist Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).
It was further learnt that a FIR was also filed against him under section 120 (B), 294 of the Indian Penal Code. The youth wing by the name Bhartiya Yuva Morcha committee lodged the FIR against Ripon, saying he had indulged in an anti-national act.
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