Shadab Khan's Blunt 'No Benefit' Remark on Winning India-Pakistan Clash, Urges Team to Focus on 'Main Aim'

Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan feels winning the India vs Pakistan game will do Babar Azam’s side ‘no benefit’ if they can’t fulfil their ‘main aim’ during the ODI World Cup 2023. Shadab is hoping that Pakistan can return back home with the ODI World Cup trophy as he talked about the pressure of playing against Men in Blue in India.

The high-octane clash between the two arch-rivals is set to take place on October 15, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The schedule of the ODI World Cup 2023 was recently confirmed by the ICC in an event hosted in Mumbai. India have an immaculate record of never having lost to Pakistan in the ODI World Cup, and they will look to make that head-to-head record 8-0 in the marquee clash later this year.

That being said, Babar Azam’s men will not make India’s job any easier and they did defeat India by 10 wickets in the T20 World Cup 2021 in Dubai, in the 50-overs format they are yet to claim a win over their neighbours.

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Last year in the T20 World Cup in Australia, Virat Kohli played a stunning knock to snatch a win from the jaws of defeat. The battle between India and Pakistan being the mother of all clashes would no wonder be a monumental fixture for both sets of players, Shadab feels that Pakistan will hope to win the World Cup, even if they end up losing to India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

“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,” said Shadab speaking to Cricket Pakistan.

“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,” he added.

The star all-rounder continued, “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.”