KARACHI: Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik feels that pressure of representing one's national team is far greater than playing for any team in the ongoing Indian Premier League.
"There is more pressure playing for your country than other teams. I don't agree that the IPL matches had lot of pressure. Playing more events like the IPL will benefit us in many ways but national duty remains utmost," Malik told reporters after returning home from Mumbai.
Malik insisted he was not disappointed at being excluded from the Delhi Daredevils team on a number of occasions in the inaugural Twenty20 tournament.
"I never see my exclusion as a discouraging element. I have my own responsibilities and my confidence level is always the same. The team I was representing didn't qualify for the final but now that the tournament is over for me I would be concentrating on the coming tri-series in Bangladesh and leading Pakistan."
Malik took exception of the flaying of Pakistani players, who could not do well for their respective IPL teams.
"Lots of other foreign players also failed. Some were experiencing a bad patch but we will do better next time."
He also played down reports about his differences with the national selectors.
"I enjoy good working relationship with the selectors and the coach, as we all are here for the betterment of Pakistan cricket," he said.
