India-Pak football matches will bring them closer, says Kaleemullah

Pakistan football team captain Kaleemullah has said that he hoped a two-match series against arch-rivals India in the coming week would lead to peace and friendship between the two nations.

Pakistan flew to Bangalore on Friday to face India in a two-match football series, the first between the neighbouring nations in nine years.

Football takes a back seat in cricket-mad South Asia but such is the rivalry between the two countries that any sporting clash attracts keen interest, Sport24 reported.

Kaleemullah said that it is a historic occasion and he hopes a lot of doors, like that of peace, friendship and mutual cooperation will open with this short but important series.

Kaleemullah said that he set little store by the FIFA rankings, which put Pakistan, once a power in Asian football, 165th in the world, well below India at 151.

The striker said that when Pakistan and India play each other, in any sport be it cricket, hockey or football, nothing matters, and added that the only thing which matters is that how the team handles the pressure and the team which handles the pressure well wins the day.

Kaleemullah also said that they can bring people closer with sports and football also has that power.

The football matches between India and Pakistan would be played in Bangalore on August 17 and 20, the report added.