Asia Cup, IND vs UAE | 'Not a big match': UAE captain Waseem downplays clash against India

NEW DELHI: UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem is not caught up in the hype of their Asia Cup opener against India. For him and his team, the focus is on keeping things straightforward—sticking to their plans and seizing opportunities as they arise. The UAE have been steadily working their way up the Asian cricket ladder, drawing inspiration from Afghanistan’s remarkable rise to become a formidable force in the region. Their qualification for the 2022 T20 World Cup stands as proof of their growing potential, and now they aim to build on those experiences to launch their campaign on a positive note."We will not take it as a big match because all the teams are good in front of you, so all the matches will be the same. We are working hard in the heat, and we will only follow our plan. Whatever we have learned and whatever we need to do on that day, we will do it. Rest, the result is up to the game," Waseem said.Unlike many captains, Waseem doesn’t believe in singling out one opposition player to target. Instead, his team has prepared strategies designed to collectively limit India’s key batters while managing their strike bowlers smartly."No, we have not made any individual plan for any particular player. We have created a plan for 6-7 batters for the whole team. We will not give their strength to the strength. We will play carefully with their wicket-taker bowler, and whoever we can charge, we have made such a plan. If the unit is more, the role of the spinners can increase," he added.India boast a strong spin department with Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel in the ranks. However, Waseem feels conditions could neutralize their impact, especially if dew comes into play. Playing on familiar home surfaces is another factor he hopes will tilt the balance."Whenever there is dew, I think the spinner's ball doesn't turn much. But it depends on the weather tomorrow and the conditions. And as I have told you, whatever we have learned. Yes, you are right that we play a lot of cricket here. We can also say that India and Pakistan play a lot of cricket here. But it is our home. So we will try our best to take advantage of and play good cricket," he concluded.