KOLKATA,Mar 15: Pakistan Captain  Shahid Afridi  that he did not intend to demean his nation and was merely trying to give a "positive message" by showing respect to the fans here.

In an audio statement posted by the Pakistan Cricket Board on its Twitter handle, Afridi has clarified that he was not trying to belittle Pakistani fans during the now infamous post-arrival press conference ahead of the ICC World Twenty20.

"I am not just captain of the Pakistan cricket team but I am representing all the Pakistani people here and I think if one looks at my comment in a positive way then it is obvious that I did not mean to say that anybody else would matter more to me than Pakistani fans. My whole identity comes from Pakistan," Afridi said.

Afridi has been criticised for the statement made on Sunday with former captain Javed Miandad calling it shameful.(Agencies)