Malik shares a great record against India, as the former Pakistan skipper has etched four out of his nine tons against the Blues. (Source: AP)
Ahead of India’s most anticipated clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in upcoming Asia Cup, Pakistani middle-order batsman, Shoaib Malik has refused to give importance to the fanfare building around it and stated that the match is ‘just another game’. Stating that hype ‘adds unnecessary pressure’, Malik maintained that such an occasion provides the perfect opportunity for players to emerge as a star.
“I think that the match against India is just another game and we should avoid creating hype as it adds unnecessary pressure,” Malik was quoted by the ICC website as saying.
“This is perhaps the only cricket match that the entire cricket fraternity watches and not only India and Pakistan fans, which is why it provides a massive opportunity to players if they want to become a hero,” he added.
Commenting on how the venue (Dubai) works in favour of Pakistan, Malik said, “Playing in UAE gives us an advantage but it is not as easy as people think it is. If you notice our track record here, it is better in Test cricket but when it comes to playing the shorter formats our performances aren’t extraordinary. People need to understand that batting under lights here is difficult as conditions are different but that does not mean there isn’t room for improvement. We will continue working to improve in this particular area.”
Malik boasts of an impressive record against India, as the former Pakistan skipper has hit four out of his nine tons against the latter. The right-handed batsman has also scored 1661 runs in 39 matches he has played against India.
India will take on Pakistan on September 19 in Dubai International Cricket Stadium and the match will begin at 5 pm (IST) in the evening. India, who will be led by Rohit Sharma, will start their Asia Cup campaign against Hong Kong on the previous day.