KARACHI: Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, who recently played alongside India’s Cheteshwar Pujara for English county side Sussex, has got an impression that cricketers from both countries are keen on playing against each other regularly.

Rizwan and Pujara also enjoyed some useful batting partnership and generally got along well.

“Everyone wants to see Pakistan and India play bilateral series or other matches but the state level affairs are not in the hands of the players,” Rizwan told reporters in Lahore.

Rizwan said he had had some quality discussion with Pujara on perception of Indian players about being engaged in bilateral cricket with Pakistan.

“I get the impression that players of both sides want to play regularly against each other but we can’t do anything,” he added.

Rizwan said he had been impressed by Pujara’s professional approach and preparations for matches and learnt from him.

“You learn from being with such senior players and I picked up things from Pujara mainly from the way he focuses and concentrates while batting,” he said.

The Pakistan vice captain said that he and Pujara might be from different countries but were part of a big cricket family.

Pakistan and India only meet in the ICC competitions and last featured in a bilateral white ball series in 2012 while the last Test series between the two teams was played way back in 2007. They are supposed to meet next in Asia Cup T20 in Sri Lanka in August.–(PTI)