Oman's Aayan Khan previews their ICC T20 Cricket World Cup clash with England
Sir Viv Richards Stadium, Antigua, West Indies
Sir Viv Richards Stadium, Antigua, West Indies
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00:00Obviously, you'll be going into the game knowing the fact that England needs a victory for
00:11sure to advance, so they will be coming hard at you.
00:16You have done very well in the first couple of games and then in Scotland, obviously,
00:20you imploded.
00:21What are your thoughts going into the final game after three successive defeats?
00:27What is the mood in the camp?
00:29And how do you expect to take on defending champions in tomorrow's game?
00:33Well, for us also, there is no victory, so we are also going hard on them as well.
00:38We got some plans, we know the players as well.
00:40I think they might not even know us properly, but we are going to make them surprised or
00:46we'll try to do that.
00:48And we try to, in this upcoming match, maybe try to play some more aggressive cricket.
00:53And we try to, as I told every time, positive cricket, not even take too many of mistakes.
01:00Unfortunately, we are not good in the fielding, but as a unit, we'll try to come back and
01:05prove everybody wrong in the upcoming match, last match.
01:08And we try to get the positive at the last game to at least try to make one win in this
01:13World Cup.
01:18What do you think about the batting order, which has not yet clicked so far?
01:22Do you think something has really gone amiss with the team?
01:26I don't believe so, because I think we are just not even accessing the condition properly.
01:30That is what the reason is.
01:31We played two games in Barbados, the wicket is not too much bouncy and it spins a lot
01:35and getting low.
01:36Here, it's a little bit bounced like double-paced wicket, spongy bounces there.
01:40So I think from the last match, few of the guys played good innings, played some good
01:44balls.
01:45So I hope so.
01:46They are going to tell the other guys to access the condition and try to get improved in the
01:49next game.
01:53You said the England players may not know too much about you.
01:59Is that what you expect, that they will be focused on themselves and maybe you could
02:03surprise them?
02:04Yeah, we will try to.
02:05We will try here, as I said before, that we are trying here to prove the point, but it's
02:10not a fluke that we just came in the World Cup from the Asian countries.
02:14So we are also here to get so many matches.
02:17We played with the associate teams and we came here.
02:21And as you can see, that first match has gone to the Super Over, which has been a bad luck
02:26for us.
02:27We didn't make it out.
02:28Second match, we gave Australia a good fight.
02:30So as I told you that we are trying to get some good fights and surprise them.
02:34Because this is what happened, the bigger teams, I might think that they are not going
02:38to take it easy.
02:40But for us, we will try to give them a good fight because we have nothing to lose.
02:43All we have here to gain some good confidence and maybe a win to end the positive side from
02:49this World Cup.
02:51Do you think that the focus on net run rate, because England, not only do they need to
02:56win the game, they need to win the game very well.
03:00Do you think that England may be worrying about their run rate could help you because
03:05maybe they take their eye off the ball?
03:07Well, we are not thinking about what England is thinking.
03:10We are thinking about ourselves and we just try to get one win at least.
03:15We are not thinking what they are thinking about the run rate.
03:17We just want to play good cricket and we want to get a point, winning side.
03:22That's it.
03:23We are not thinking what others are thinking.
03:25And you said you know their play as well.
03:27Is there anybody in particular that you are looking forward to playing against and taking
03:32on?
03:33No, no.
03:34We are here to play the ball, not the bowler.
03:35And for the batsmen, we are just here to play cricket.
03:38We are not thinking about it.
03:39If they are good, they are going to prove it in the ground.
03:42It's in T20.
03:43You know, it's all about a day.
03:44Whoever click it, change the scenario.
03:47So that is what we are doing here.
03:50If we think about this, we will be not here standing in front of the mighty England and
03:55what are you going to say, Australians.
03:57So we can't even stand here.
03:59So we are just playing our cricket.
04:01As I told you, we are facing the bowlers, not the bowlers.
04:05We are facing the ball, not the bowlers.
04:08And there's been various good results for some of the associate nations at this World
04:13Cup since it expanded to 20 teams, gave more teams a chance.
04:19Just your thoughts on that and how much it would mean to you if you could do the same
04:23and land another blow, not just for Oman, but for associate cricket?
04:27Yes, of course.
04:28That's a very good initiative by ICC that they give a chance to the other associate
04:32nations.
04:33As you can see in this World Cup, everybody is talking about that they are like rubbing
04:36the shoulders with the test nations and the champions.
04:39So it's a good initiative for them.
04:41For us also, it's a learning for us from the starting of this tournament that we're going
04:45to come back next year as a different Oman team for sure and give surprises to ICC and
04:51the world as well.
04:52Thank you.
04:56You mentioned you guys have nothing to lose tomorrow.
04:59Does that make you extremely dangerous opponents for England?
05:02No, it's not like that.
05:03We are not thinking about what tomorrow will happen and we are not like any of the thought
05:09that what England are thinking and what our thoughts are.
05:12We are just trying to implement what we have learned, the basics.
05:16And it's on the day, whoever plays good cricket and they will want to win it.
05:22So we are not focusing on that, what will happen tomorrow.
05:25We are trying to focus on our process right now, what we can do better and come back strong
05:29and at least have one win in our pocket.
05:32So that is what we are focusing on.
05:36What would a win tomorrow?
05:38What would that do for cricket in your country?
05:40Of course, everybody, most of the associate nations already win one of their matches.
05:47We also want to make a mark in the history that in the World Cup we just win one match.
05:52And if we win tomorrow, that will give a confidence to the whole year and maybe it will make a
05:56history in international cricket.
05:58So we will try to do that.
06:00And of course, that will give us motivation for the upcoming tour for the WCL2 which we
06:04are playing next in Scotland.
06:06So that will boost our cricket as well as in our country also people will get more motivated,
06:11more come to cricket.
06:12So that helps a lot.