India-Pakistan cricket rivalry needs to resume: Shoaib Malik

Veteran Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik has expressed his thoughts on how the world of cricket is in dire need of the old-school India-Pakistan cricket rivalry again.

The allrounder voiced his opinion claiming that the two neighbouring countries should resume their onfield rivalry for the sake of the world.

"I think the world badly needs this rivalry to resume, in the same way that world cricket needs the Ashes," Malik told PakPassion.net.

"Could England and Australia imagine Test cricket without an Ashes series? Both series are played with the same kind of passion and have such a great history, so it is a shame that we don’t play right now."

"Also, I have Pakistani friends who love to talk about Indian cricketers with respect and admiration. Similarly, I and my Pakistan team-mates are given such love and support when we play in India so it is a rivalry that I would like to see return as soon as it is possible," he further added.

The two nations last took on each other back in 2012-13 where Pakistan won the ODI series 2-1, and the T20I series ended in a 1-1 tie.

Malik also revealed his favourite memories of playing against India and said: "From a personal point of view the 2009 Champions Trophy match at Centurion when I was Man of the Match after scoring 128 and the Asia Cup match in Sri Lanka in 2004 where I scored 143 from 127 balls and took the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh are great memories.”

“But I also enjoyed the one-off ODI in Kolkata in 2004 when we chased 293 to win. It was a day before Eid and the atmosphere inside Eden Gardens in that floodlit match was incredible,” he added.