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"Memories Don't Matter": Ice-Cool Saim Ayub Reveals Fearless Mindset For India Clash

Akshita Patel

Saim Ayub opens up on India-Pakistan rivalry [Source: @Rnawaz0, @BCCI/X.com]Saim Ayub opens up on India-Pakistan rivalry [Source: @Rnawaz0, @BCCI/X.com]

As the high-voltage India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match approaches, young India opener Saim Ayub has been calm and composed. While experts and fans are busy keeping the biggest game of the tournament alive, Ayub has kept things simple, focusing on the present, not the past.

Pakistan’s record against India in ICC and ACC tournaments hasn’t been noteworthy. In the 2024 T20 World Cup, the men in green failed to chase 120 runs against India at New York, suffering a 6-run loss.

Saim Ayub Unbothered By Hype Around India-Pakistan Rivalry 

However, Pakistan’s young opener Saim Ayub is unbothered by the hype around the rivalry. At a press conference, when reminded about his team’s loss to India in New York, Ayub brushed it off with a short but sharp reply, saying the past doesn’t matter.

“Sir, it has been a year and a 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," Ayub said.

Ayub insists Pakistan are not treating the India clash as anything extraordinary but rather as just another important step toward winning the tournament.

“Memories do not matter. This tournament matters the most,” he said. “We are not just looking forward to the Pakistan-India match. We are looking forward to winning the tournament," he added.

However, Saim Ayub’s own performance hasn’t been great. His scores of 0, 17, 11, and 0 might worry fans, but the left-hander feels fully backed by the team.

Saim Ayub To Enter Unfamiliar Territory Vs India

Notably, Saim Ayub has never faced India before in T20Is. Hence, he might be unfamiliar with the pressure that comes along with the hype around the rivalry. Overall, in 40 T20I innings, Ayub has scored 816 runs with a lowly average of 21.47, a 136.22 strike rate and 4 fifties. 

While Ayub is a highly rated player, his talent has yet to translate from paper onto the field. On top of that, some ex-Pakistan players claim Saim has the ability to hit 6 sixes against India’s generational fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, which is unrealistic.

Saim Ayub will get his first taste of India-Pakistan rivalry on September 14, and with a golden duck behind him in this Asia Cup 2025 tournament, his temperament truly will be tested.