NEW DELHI: Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan backed India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav's statement that there is no real rivalry between India and Pakistan, given India's sheer dominance in the format.

Azam's remark could spark tension in Pakistan and even draw the ire of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi.

"If you see the ICC tournaments, I think... I don't know if I should say this, but technically he is correct," said Moin Khan's son in a podcast with Crickwick.

"I feel we should stop asking questions about the [India-Pakistan] rivalry. What matters is whether a team plays good cricket or not," Surya had said during the Asia Cup and his team walked the talk as India won all three matches against Pakistan including the final.

"According to me, if two teams play 15–20 matches and it's 7-all or 8–7, then that's a rivalry. But 13–0 or 10–1... I don't know what the stats are, but this is no longer a rivalry."

The 27-year-old Azam Khan has featured in 14 T20Is for Pakistan but hasn't appeared in international cricket since the 2024 T20 World Cup - and his latest comment might further diminish his chances of a comeback.

Last year, his father and former Pakistan captain, Moin Khan, publicly criticised the selectors for denying Azam a consistent run in the national side.

"I watched the entire World Cup and the matches leading up to it, and it seemed like Azam was the number one choice for wicketkeeping and batting," Moin told Cricket Pakistan. "Then suddenly, after just one match, the entire strategy changed."