Playing against India produces the best in us: Younis

New Delhi, Oct 9 (UNI) Pakistan captain Younis Khan says playing against India brings out the best in them and he is looking forward to an India-Pakistan final in the Champions Trophy.

India and Pakistan are in different groups and they have to qualify for semi-finals from their respective groups of four teams each to have any chance of playing in the summit match on November 5 in Mumbai.

''We have lots of support here. People of India rate us very highly and playing against them forced us to play our best. It will be great fun if India and Pakistan play the final, '' Younis said at a media interaction here today.

But, he refused to predict the favourites to win the tournament.

''In international cricket, any team's chance to win is 50:50.

Any side can beat any team on any day. It is a matter of who play better on the particular day,'' he explained.

The 28-year-old right handed batsman, who dramatically renounced captaincy but reinstated later, said Inzamam's absence would be felt and he expected every player to contribute to fill in the Multan batsman's absence.

''No doubt Inzamam's absence will be felt. But, I am keeping it simple. Everybody will have to contribute to fill in his absence,'' he said.

Vice-captain Mohd Yousuf was excited about playing against India and said that the passion of the cricket fans in the two countries made a match between the two a great draw.

''Playing in India is just like playing at home.

The conditions are the same. People are the same. But, it should be taken just as a game and not more than that,'' he said.

Hard-hitting batsman Shahid Afridi also fancy an India-Pakistan final saying that it would be good if the Trophy remained in the sub-continent.

''Here people are very supportive. They appreciate if you hit fours and sixes. You will not find any better place for cricket,'' he said.

Younis said his boys wanted to forget the turmoil Pakistan cricket has been in for the last nearly two months including the ban on Inzamam following the Oval Test fiasco and his renouncing of captaincy and reinstatement later on.

''What has happened has happened. The team wanted to forget it.

We are here to play good cricket and we are concentrating on doing that,'' Younis said.

''This is not a club team and we are capable of handling such situations,'' he retorted when asked whether the turmoil would effect the team in the tournament.

''We are gelling well as a unit and there is no problem in the side,'' he added.

UNI PDS AY PM1456