'Memories Don't Matter...': Pakistan Star's Clear Message Ahead Of India Clash In Asia Cup
Pakistan cricket team star Saim Ayub made it clear that they are looking to win the tournament and are just not fixated with the clash against India.
Pakistan cricket team star Saim Ayub made it clear that they are looking to win the tournament and are just not fixated with the clash against India. India face Pakistan in a highly-anticipated clash in Dubai on Sunday and the match has assumed even more importance considering the political tensions between the two sides. India have defeated Pakistan in the past two occassions that they faced each other - once in T20 World Cup and then in Champions Trophy. However, ahead of the encounter, Ayub said that those memories do not matter and they are here to win the Asia Cup trophy.
"Memories don't matter. It is all about this tournament and this is what matters most. We want to win this tournament. We are not just looking forward to Pakistan-India match. We are looking forward to winning the tournament," Saim Ayub said at the pre-match press conference on Saturday.
India started their campaign with a comprehensive victory over UAE while Pakistan also boosted their confidence with a 93-run win over Oman. They are both placed in Group A.
A spoilt-for-choice Indian squad will be the favourite by a country mile against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday in their Asia Cup encounter which is strangely devoid of any hype despite border tensions that have only risen in the past few months, according to PTI.
There is no dearth of context in the contest with a T20 World Cup set to be played in India in four months' time. But for the first time in many years, a cricket match between India and Pakistan, that too scheduled on a Sunday, lacks the kind of high-pitched narrative that always comes with the territory.
There are batters like Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Abhishek Sharma, a pacer like Jasprit Bumrah, spinners of Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy's calibre in the Indian playing XI. The Indians look way more menacing on paper compared to Pakistan, who are trying to find their feet under new skipper Salman Ali Agha.
However, considering the fickle nature of the format, there is always the chance of an upset but against this Indian team, the probability remains low.
One of the most talented batters in Pakistan's line-up, opener Saim Ayub, middle-order willow-wielder Hasan Nawaz and the troika of spinners in Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeen and Mohammed Nawaz would love to prove a point in a new look team that dumped the philosophy of depending heavily on Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan.
(With PTI inputs)
India Cricket Team
Pakistan Cricket Team