Key Points

In their commanding 93-run victory 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, taking two wickets for only eight runs.

“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 in the pre-match press conference.

“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.

The 23-year-old, set to face India for the first time in an international game, downplayed the hype surrounding the clash, echoing the sentiment often expressed before such encounters. "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, dismissing questions about his childhood memories of Indo-Pak 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 win the tournament," he added.

Despite struggling with scores of 0, 17, 11, and 0 in his last four innings, Ayub is confident in the backing he has from the management. "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 briefly.

- IANS