‘The rivalry is out of the field’ – Azam Khan makes huge statement about IND vs PAK matches ahead of Champions Trophy showdown

Pakistan cricket star Azam Khan has made a huge statement about the much-talked-about rivalry in cricket. India and Pakistan are set to face each other in two weeks during the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 tournament. The match is set to be played on 23rd February at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. 

Azam Khan, who is playing in the ILT20 series, spoke to Hindustan Times, where he said, “The rivalry is outside the field. If you look at the past few India-Pakistan matches, they have been played in a very friendly manner. There is no disrespect there. There is a respectful relationship between the players." 

India refused to send its team to Pakistan, which promoted the ICC to conduct the tournament in a hybrid model. During his chat with Hindustan Times, Azam Khan also said, “If you are getting the respect from one side, then your job is to reciprocate that.”

Pakistan batter calls IND vs PAK ‘Just a game’

The India vs Pakistan encounter during the upcoming Champions Trophy will be their fifth meeting. Both sides have won two games each, with Pakistan winning the last match, which happened to be the finals of the 2017 edition. Fakhar Zaman’s century meant that Sarfaraz Ahmed’s men won the title after beating India by a massive margin of 180 runs. 

When asked to name his favourite for the game, Azam Khan said, “I wish the Pakistan team the best of luck. India versus Pakistan is just a game in the end. There are so many expectations because it is a high-voltage game. The team that commits the least number of mistakes will walk away as the winner." 

The 26-year-old is set to play for Desert Vipers in the finals of the ILT20 tournament against Dubai Capitals on Sunday. Azam gave huge props to former Australian star David Warner and his batting. 

“David Warner is a world-class operator. I always say it is not about the big names. David Warner is a world-class player. It is all about the preparation. Warner is a human, and we are humans too. On the given day, anyone can change the game," Azam Khan said.