UAE spinner Simranjeet Singh has described his side’s upcoming Asia Cup opener against India as a valuable opportunity, emphasizing that the team is well-prepared and eager to make the most of the challenge.
The UAE recently featured in a T20I tri-series against Pakistan and Afghanistan. Singh said the team has gained important lessons from those matches and is determined not to repeat past mistakes. “Our preparations are going on well. As everyone knows, we are playing against India. This is a good opportunity for our boys… We will not repeat our mistakes in the upcoming Asia Cup Tournament,” he told ANI.
India and the UAE are placed in Group A and will meet on Wednesday at the Dubai International Stadium. While India enters the contest as favorites, having recently played a grueling Test series in England, Singh underlined that his side’s focus is on playing competitive cricket. “They are a good team. Our focus is to play good cricket. We have a good team and will try to give a good fight,” he said.
Highlighting the advantage of home conditions, Singh noted that familiarity with UAE’s weather and pitches could work in their favor. “When a team plays in home conditions, it definitely benefits them. All the boys know what to expect here, both in the day and at night. We will try to take advantage of that,” he added.
Making their first Asia Cup appearance since 2016, the UAE will be led by skipper Muhammad Waseem, alongside key players such as Asif Khan, Junaid Siddique, and Ethan D’Souza.
UAE squad for Asia Cup: Muhammad Waseem (capt), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma (wk), Asif Khan, Dhruv Parashar, Ethan D’Souza, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Matiullah Khan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Zohaib, Rahul Chopra (wk), Rohid Khan, Simranjeet Singh, and Saghir Khan.
