India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2025: Pakistan opener Saim Ayub said the team will assess the pitch and conditions before deciding on their bowling attack for the high-voltage Asia Cup 2025 match against arch-rivals India at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Sunday, September 14.
In their dominating 93-run win against Oman in Dubai on Friday, Pakistan relied on a three-pronged spin attack featuring Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz while opener Ayub himself chipped in with two overs, claiming two wickets for only eight runs.
While addressing the pre-match press conference, the 23-year-old all-rounder hinted that the team might opt for a spin-dominated bowling attack against India potentially featuring three specialist spinners – if the pitch conditions favor turn and grip.
“First of all, as I said, we as a team trust each other, and it’s a long-term process where we keep backing one another so that the players remain confident and, in turn, everyone contributes to winning matches at different times,” Ayub said.
“What’s in our hands is simply to give our best effort; as for the result, no one can predict who will perform on the day. Secondly, regarding the team combination, you can see that we try to assess the conditions. On match day, it all depends on how the pitch looks. If it appears drier, we feel spinners will play a key role, so we go with three spinners. If we think a fast bowler is essential, then the coaches decide accordingly,” he added.
Saim Ayub Facing India For The First Time
Interestingly, Pakistan opener Saim Ayub will face India for the first time in an international game and the 23-year-old tried to downplay the hype surrounding the clash.
“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,” Ayub said.
The opener also refused to attach any added significance to the India fixture, brushing aside queries about his childhood memories of India-Pakistan matches.
“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 winning the tournament,” he said.
Saim Ayub’s Struggle With The Bat
Although he has recorded scores of 0, 17, 11, and 0 in his last four innings, Saim Ayub remains confident of the management’s support.
“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,” he said.