'Lose to Kenya but not to Pakistan,' Anil Kumble's take on Indo-Pak rivalry

Former Indian cricketer, Anil Kumble, has weighed in on the intense rivalry between India and Pakistan, suggesting that the key to success lies in treating matches against Pakistan as just another game. 

While talking to at an event on Tuesday, Kumble recalled the immense pressure and expectations associated with matches against Pakistan during his playing days. 

"In our times, the word was 'lose even to Kenya but not to Pakistan'. There was pressure and expectation on the players. That's how the matches between India and Pakistan are being played and the key is to treat it as just another match,” Kumble said.

Recently, Indian opener, Shikhar Dhawan, had also echoed similar thoughts regarding the famous rivalry.

“It has always been the case of 'Whether or not you win the World Cup, don't lose to Pakistan' (laughs). But winning the World Cup is also important and by god's grace hopefully we will. There's definitely excitement (while playing Pakistan) but also a lot of pressure. There's definitely a satisfying feeling playing against them when the match ends. Whenever I have played Pakistan, we have won mostly. The intensity on the field is also high, but there's also some light chat with them.” Dhawan said.

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