Basit Ali: “Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman should learn from Kirsten as much as they can because Kirsten was an amazing top order batter and he can teach a lot to these two batters”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has advised batsmen Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman to learn as much as possible from limited overs head coach Gary Kirsten as he was “an amazing top order batter” when he played for South Africa.
Ayub hasn’t been able to make the most of the chances he has been given in T20I cricket, amassing 286 runs in 21 matches at an average of 15.05 and a strike-rate of 127.67.
As for Zaman, he has struggled for consistency in the past, but recently, he has been in excellent form.
Nonetheless, Basit wants both batsmen to pick Kirsten’s brain so that they can get better and play more impactful innings on a regular basis.
“Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman should learn from Kirsten as much as they can because Kirsten was an amazing top order batter and he can teach a lot to these two batters,” he said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
In Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand, Ayub mustered 57 runs at an average of 14.25 and a strike-rate of 129.54.
As for Zaman, he finished with 104 runs in two games, which included a top score of 61, at an average of 52 and a strike-rate of 133.33.
Following this, the men in green played three T20Is against Ireland and Ayub struck 65 runs at an average of 21.66 and a strike-rate of 151.16.
Zaman, meanwhile, amassed 98 runs, which included a top score of 78, at an average of 49 and a strike-rate of 168.96.
Pakistan are now taking on England in a four-match T20I series and trail 1-0 after losing the second game by 23 runs.
Afterwards, they will feature in the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will take place in the West Indies and United States of America from June 1 to 29.
Pakistan’s first T20 World Cup game will be against the United States of America in Dallas on June 6.
Pakistan Squad for Ireland and England T20I Series: Babar Azam (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan
Pakistan Squad for 2024 T20 World Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan (wk), Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
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