Wahab Riaz: “He will have to work very hard”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Wahab Riaz, the veteran fast bowler, has conceded that attacking batsman Saim Ayub has to put in a lot of hard work if he is to have any chance of cementing his place in the Pakistan team.
Ayub was selected for Pakistan’s white-ball series against Afghanistan and New Zealand following an impressive campaign in the 2023 Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he made 341 runs in 12 matches for the Peshawar Zalmi, which included five half-centuries, at an average of 28.41 and a strike-rate of 165.53.
In the eight T20Is the 21-year-old has featured in thus far, he has scored 123 runs at an average of 17.57 and a strike-rate of 123.
Knowing the large number of talented batsmen Pakistan possess, Wahab reiterated that getting picked regularly won’t be easy for Ayub.
“He will have to work very hard,” the 37-year-old was quoted as saying by Cricwick.
Pakistan recently faced Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series, which they won 2-0, but Ayub was not named in the side.
He was also not picked for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, which will be held in Sri Lanka from August 22 to 26.
In addition to this, Ayub didn’t make the cut for the Asia Cup, which will be played in Pakistan and Sri Lanka from August 30 to September 17.
Pakistan Squad for Afghanistan ODI Series and 2023 Asia Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel (Afghanistan series only), Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr