Babar Azam: “Good to see Saim perform. He struggled in the first 3 matches. I spoke to him and told him ‘believe in yourself, see the ball and play it, don’t overthink – you are the best so believe in yourself'”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam told Pakistan big-hitting batsman Saim Ayub “you are the best” and urged him to believe in himself.
Ayub had a rough start to the ongoing 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL), but has since been a solid performer.
The 21-year-old has scored 271 runs in nine matches, which includes a top score of 88, at an average of 30.11 and a strike-rate of 158.47.
His impact has gone beyond the bat as he has also taken six wickets at an average of 21.33 and an economy rate of 7.52.
“Good to see Saim perform. He struggled in the first 3 matches. I spoke to him and told him ‘believe in yourself, see the ball and play it, don’t overthink – you are the best so believe in yourself’,” Azam was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Azam has been in phenomenal form in PSL 9 as he has accumulated 498 runs in nine games, which includes a century and five fifties, at an average of 62.25 and a strike-rate of 148.65.
The Zalmi have booked their spot in the playoffs and will face the Multan Sultans in the Qualifier on March 14.
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
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