'We don't want the edge to go out' - Shaharyar Khan

Shahryar Khan hopes to maintain the intensity in India-Pakistan contests © Getty Images

Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chief, revealed that measures have been taken to curb the overdose of India-Pakistan cricket, saying that the two boards have reached an understanding to have the series only once every two years. "We are playing each other too much now. We don't want the edge to go out," he told The Hindu.

He was confident that the proposed Twenty20 charity match to raise funds for the earthquake victims would take place in the current tour. He said: "It is now just a question of working out the date once Mr. Sharad Pawar (BCCI president) arrives here next week."

Khan watched Pakistan A take on the Indians on the second day of the three-day practice match at the Bagh-e-Jinnah ground in Lahore. He said that although the two sides, India and Pakistan, were evenly matched, the Pakistan bowlers might just have the upper hand. He said, "Always remember that bowlers win matches. You got wonderful batsmen. But if we can find a chink in the armour, then that will be the decisive factor in my opinion."

He also expressed his satisfaction over his team's performance in the recently concluded series against a strong England side. He said, "Our team spirit and discipline have optimised our potential. And the fact that we have a captain (Inzamam-ul-Haq) who is such a wonderful man, such a great cricketer, and such a great leader, you don't have to be upfront all the time to be a great leader, has helped immensely. Inzamam and Bob Woolmer (the coach) have done a tremendous job."

Khan added the Pakistan public had shown a lot of maturity of late, taking victories and defeats in its stride, marking the transition from seeing cricket as a `pitched battle' to just a game between two sides.