The much-anticipated clash between India and Pakistan at the 2023 World Cup is set to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 15.
In an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan, Shadab Khan opened up about the mounting excitement leading up to the World Cup, emphasizing that while the encounter with India holds a special significance, his main focus remains on winning the entire tournament.
Acknowledging the unique pressure that comes with facing India, the 24-year-old cricketer highlighted the added intensity and the opposing home crowd as factors to consider. However, he stressed the importance of maintaining a broader perspective, stating, “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 further expressed his belief that winning the World Cup should be the ultimate goal, even if it means losing to India in the process. He emphasized that emerging victorious in the tournament would be a significant achievement and a true measure of success for the team.
While matches between India and Pakistan have always been intense and filled with tension, Shadab’s mindset appears to differ from the norm. Rather than solely focusing on the highly anticipated encounter with their arch-rivals, he has set his sights on securing the larger prize.
In terms of historical head-to-head statistics in the ODI World Cup, the records have been unfavorable for Pakistan, with India emerging victorious in all seven encounters between the two teams. However, Shadab remains undeterred and prioritizes the team’s overall success over breaking this pattern, emphasizing that winning the World Cup is the ultimate goal.
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As the excitement builds and preparations intensify for the clash between India and Pakistan, Shadab Khan’s mindset reflects a determined and pragmatic approach. By keeping the team’s focus on the larger objective of winning the World Cup, he aims to lead Pakistan to success and create a memorable campaign, regardless of the outcome against their rivals.
