Credit: Twitter
Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan has said that his team should not be obsessed with only beating India in the upcoming World Cup 2023 but rather focus on winning the trophy itself. The 24-year-old all-rounder said that playing against India comes with a different sense of joy and pressure, but the ultimate aim is to lift the World Cup.
The 2023 World Cup is set to be a very competitive affair with all top teams in their best form. Pakistan and India only face each other in ICC events as there are no bilateral series scheduled because of the political tension between the two countries. Historically, it is considered one of the most intense rivalries in any sport.
"Playing against India comes with a different sense of joy. The pressure overall is also different. Now when we have to go there, it will be their home ground - the crowd will be against us. However, we are going there to play in the World Cup, so we should think about it, and not only about India, because if we win against India and lose the World Cup, then there's no benefit of it," Shadab said.
Shadab, who is one of Pakistan's key players in white-ball cricket, said that he would rather win the World Cup than only beat India. He added, "In my opinion, even if we lose from India but end up winning the World Cup, it's a win-win because that is our main aim."
Pakistan and India are scheduled to face each other in a high-voltage league match on October 15 at Ahmedabad, which will also host the opening game and the final of the tournament. India and Pakistan have faced each other a total of seven times at the ICC ODI World Cup, and India has come successful each time. India start as the favorite to win the trophy once again but face stiff competition from Australia and England.
