Ramiz Raja: “Saim Ayub is a great example in front of you, where he attempted to take off in the phase where he wasn’t scoring, he tried to change the game, but then his confidence shattered”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja admitted that big-hitting newcomer Saim Ayub’s “confidence shattered” when he was trying to be a game-changer.
Ayub recently featured in Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand, but failed to live up to expectations as he only made 39 runs in four games at an average of 9.75 and a strike-rate of 130.
In the first T20I, the 21-year-old wowed everyone with his red-hot start as he smashed 27 runs off eight balls, which included two boundaries and three sixes, before being run out.
Ramiz admitted that it’s great to see the opening batsman showing the initiative to lift the scoring rate, but reiterated that there will be lingering concerns about his confidence level.
“Saim Ayub is a great example in front of you, where he attempted to take off in the phase where he wasn’t scoring, he tried to change the game, but then his confidence shattered,” he said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
Ayub is now playing for the Peshawar Zalmi in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and has made 175 runs in five matches, which includes a top score of 88, at an average of 35 and a strike-rate of 153.50.
Peshawar Zalmi Squad for PSL 9: Babar Azam (captain), Rovman Powell, Saim Ayub, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Asif Ali, Mohammad Haris, Aamer Jamal, Naveen-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Salman Irshad, Arif Yaqoob, Umair Afridi, Dan Mousley, Haseebullah Khan, Mohammad Zeeshan, Mehran Mumtaz, Luke Wood, Sufiyan Muqeem, Waqar Salamkheil, Arshad Iqbal, Gus Atkinson, Shamar Joseph
[TS_Poll id=”111″]