Taliban tell Pakistanis to 'stop praising Sachin Tendulkar'

Shahidullah Shahid (right) urged Pakistani in the video to show more national pride

The Pakistani Taliban have urged the country's media to support cricket captain Misbah-ul-Haq even though he is a "pathetic player".

At the same time spokesman Shahidullah Shahid warned the media to stop praising Indian cricket hero Sachin Tendulkar, who retired this month after a brilliant 24-year career.

His comments in a video message urged Pakistanis to be more patriotic.

Correspondents say that they come at a critical time for the Taliban.

Pakistan Taliban - or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) - leader Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a drone strike earlier this month, to be replaced days later by Mullah Fazlullah. At the same time the militants are under pressure to take part in peace negotiations with the government.

Sachin Tendulkar is revered across South Asia

"An Indian sportsman whose name is Tendulkar was praised by the Pakistani media and in fact a lot of Pakistanis [also] complimented him," Shahidullah Shahid said in the video recording, where he is seen alongside two masked men with AK-47 rifles.

"At the same time [the media] showed disapproval of Misbah-ul-Haq. [But...] Even though Tendulkar is a great sportsman you should not praise him, as it is against the national interests of the country.

"Instead you should praise Misbah despite the fact that he is a pathetic player, because he is ultimately a Pakistani."

Correspondents say that his references to cricket were part of an overall appeal by the Taliban urging Pakistanis to show more national pride and "not to comply with the government's [untruthful] agenda".

Newspapers and TV stations across South Asia have been awash with tributes to Tendulkar, who retired on 16 November as the world's leading run-scorer in both Test and one-day cricket.

Despite one of the fiercest rivalries in world sport, Pakistanis have taken part in the outpouring of praise for the Indian batsman, the only man to score 100 international centuries.

Misbah is regularly criticised for his conservative tactics and unaggressive batting style as captain, correspondents say.