By IANS,
New Delhi : Pakistan was one of the first few countries to oppose Twenty20 cricket but, after it finished runners-up in the World Championship last year, the shortest form of the game is catching up and the Indian Premier League (IPL) is a hit across the border.
Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik, who is playing for Delhi Daredevils, admitted that even when his team was playing in Bangladesh few days back, the only issue that was discussed in the dressing room was the IPL.
“In the dressing room, the only thing we used to watch on television was the IPL. So you can guess, if it is so popular among the cricketers, what impact it has created by now in Pakistan. I can tell you the IPL is already a big hit in my country,” Malik told reporters after a practice session at the Feroze Shah Kotla here Thursday.
The 26-year-old all-rounder from Sialkot feels that Twenty20 cricket is just like a movie, with all the ingredients of entertainment.
“A Twenty20 match is just like a movie. Both get over in just three hours. One needs to enjoy it with popcorn,” said Malik.
He was also happy with the way the Daredevils have maintained a clean slate in the league and said that captain Virender Sehwag’s 94 against Deccan Chargers will encourage other batsmen in the team.
“The Daredevils are a good team and there is no doubt that our captain (Sehwag) is a great player. His 94 against Deccan Chargers will obviously encourage and give confidence to the other batsmen in the team,” said Malik.
Unlike his Pakistan team mate Shahid Afridi who said that skimpily-dressed cheerleaders are a distraction, Malik said those things don’t bother him much.
“I am here to play cricket and I am not at all distracted by the cheerleaders,” he said.