ICC World Cup 2019 | Match against India not war but like any other game, claims Shoaib Malik

The India-Pakistan rivalry is the stuff of legends and is definitely the biggest international cricketing rivalry followed by the England-Australia Ashes series. However, tensions have been rising between the nations ever since the Pulwama attack in Kashmir in February. However, Pakistan batsman Shoaib Malik has been adamant that when the two teams meet in the upcoming World Cup in England, it will not be in an atmosphere of ‘war’.

"It's my own opinion but the word 'war' is a very strange word to me. I don't think it's good to use that word - definitely not in sports.

"When you deal with 'love', then everything becomes a bit easier - whether it's cricket or any other sports. It unites people together. When people travel across nations and feel the warmth and love they receive, then a lot of illusions wither away. It's just another match and just like the ones against other teams," Malik said in a recent interview with Pakistan journalist Saleem Khaliq.

The former Pakistan captain had previously revealed that the 2019 World Cup would be his last tournament as he plans to retire post the conclusion of the global competition. Malik has represented Pakistan in 282 ODIs and scored 7,481 runs at an average of 35.12 including 9 centuries. He has also notched 2,263 T20 International runs for Pakistan in 111 matches. Malik has also been handy with the ball having amassed a total of 216 international wickets.