Afridi sidesteps SKY's rivalry remarks as Pak take on B'desh

Dubai: Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi steered clear of giving a direct response to Suryakumar Yadav's view that Indo-Pak games should not be considered a rivalry anymore due to India's dominance and insisted that his team's focus is on winning the Asia Cup.

Addressing the pre-match press conference ahead of their must-win last Super 4 game against Bangladesh here on Thursday, Afridi side-stepped queries on Suryakumar's assertion.

"That's his view, let him say. When we meet (in the likely Asia Cup final on Sunday), we will see kya hai, kya nahi. Tab dekh lenge. We are here to win the Asia Cup and we will give our best effort for that," Afridi said.

Suryakumar had stated that for a rivalry to be considered genuine, the gulf in results cannot be 12-3, which is where the India-Pakistan T20I head-to-head currently stands.

The two teams have played each other twice in the ongoing tournament and India have emerged comprehensive victors both times. Asked if the team is even discussing the possible Indo-Pak match-up in the final, he said: "We are not in the final yet, when we reach, we will think about it."

On to cricketing matters and the heavy weather that Pakistan made of a chase of 133 against Sri Lanka last night in Abu Dhabi, Afridi said the nature of the format is such that it is difficult for all players to click at once.

"Credit to Hussain (Talat) and (Mohammad) Nawaz for handling pressure. T20 is like this only, everyone doesn't perform at the same time," he shrugged. "It's not that we are not winning, we have won but we haven't won against bigger teams. I don't think our fast bowlers are struggling. T20 format is such that batsmen find it easier to hit on good wickets. But we should have more variation in our bowling." agencies