LAHORE: Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik is highly optimistic over the revival of cricketing ties between India and Pakistan.

Welcoming the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision of inviting Sialkot Stallions, Pakistan’s national T20 winners, to the Champions League, Malik said he was keen to lead his Stallions team to India.

“It is a great decision by the BCCI to invite our champions team for the mega event,” Malik told reporters at the Gaddafi Stadium, where Pakistan are holding a training camp ahead of the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, here on Thursday.

“Each member of my team (Stallions) will be ambassadors for our country in the Champions League.

“We’ll give our best in the tournament.”

Malik, who has been in and out of the team since he stepped down as Pakistan captain on the request of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in 2009, hopes that the Champions League invitation will be the first step in revival of cricketing ties between the two arch-rivals.

“Hopefully bilateral series between the two countries will resume very soon,” Malik said. “That is something that cricket-crazy fans on both sides of the border want to see.”

Malik said there would be no pressure on him while playing in India despite being married to Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza.

“There is always pressure, though, when Pakistan play India,” he added.

On playing under Pakistan’s new T20 captain Mohammad Hafeez, Malik said that a change in captaincy does not concern him.

“I believe in delivering for Pakistan regardless of who the captain is,” he said.