Pakistan Eyes Smart Bowling Tweaks for High-Stakes Asia Cup Clash Against India
Dubai: Pakistan’s young opener Saim Ayub is keeping things flexible ahead of their blockbuster Asia Cup match against India on Sunday. The team plans to check the pitch and weather in Dubai before locking in their bowling lineup—debating whether to stick with three spinners or bring in an extra fast bowler to mix things up.
In their recent 93-run thrashing of Oman on Friday, Pakistan’s spin trio of Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed, and Mohammad Nawaz shone brightly. Ayub even jumped in with two overs, grabbing two wickets for just eight runs. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, the 23-year-old opener stressed the team’s strong bond. "We trust each other completely," he said. "It’s a long process where we back one another, keeping everyone confident. That way, players step up at different times to help us win."
Ayub explained how they pick their Asia Cup team combination based on real conditions. "We focus on giving our best every time—results are unpredictable. For the bowling, we assess the pitch on match day. If it’s dry and spinner-friendly, we go with three spinners. If it calls for pace, the coaches pick an extra fast bowler accordingly."
This will be Ayub’s first international showdown against India, but he’s brushing off the massive hype around the Indo-Pak rivalry. "It’s a huge game for fans, but as a team, we don’t treat it differently," he shared. "We stick to our daily process and prepare the same way for every match."
When asked about childhood memories of watching India-Pakistan games, Ayub kept it straightforward. "Old memories don’t count. What matters is this Asia Cup tournament. We’re not fixating on just the India match—we’re aiming to win the whole thing."
Even after a rough patch with scores of 0, 17, 11, and 0 in his last four innings, Ayub feels solid support from the management. "We just need to put in the effort," he added confidently. "No one knows who’ll fire on the day, but our trust in each other keeps us going."
With the Asia Cup heating up, all eyes are on how Pakistan fine-tunes their strategy for this India vs Pakistan thriller.
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