Saim Ayub is known for his calm approach at the crease, and he carried the same composure when speaking about pressure before Pakistan’s Asia Cup clash with India in Dubai on Sunday. He was asked about Pakistan’s loss to India at the T20 World Cup in New York last year, a match he did not play. His answer was short and firm. “Sir, it has been a year and half. At that time, if you had asked me, I would have told you how I felt. Do you remember? I do not remember now,” he said. The 23-year-old will face India for the first time in international cricket. For him, the focus is on the present. “I think this is the message of our team management for the last three-four months. The most important thing is to learn from the past and move forward. We don’t want to remember the past and don’t want to focus too much on the future.” While India vs Pakistan games are seen as some of the sport’s biggest, Ayub chose to play down the hype. “It is going to be a big match for the people. We do not see it like this as a team. We see that we follow the same process day by day in the next match.” He even dismissed talk about childhood memories of the rivalry. “Memories do not matter. This tournament matters the most. We are not just looking forward to the Pakistan-India match. We are looking forward to win the tournament.” Ayub has struggled with scores of 0, 17, 11 and 0 in recent games, but said he has full backing. “It’s in our hands to just make an effort. No one can tell who will perform at the end of the day. We all trust each other.”
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On the pitch conditions in Dubai, he noted the surface stayed dry against Oman and hinted at the use of three spinners. As for Jasprit Bumrah, Ayub kept it simple. “Every type of bowler is a challenge for you. The biggest challenge is to make the team win. We are in the present moment. We are in the match. That is what is important.”
