Shan Masood: “We have a young opening partnership of Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub and we need to give them time”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood has made it clear that he has no intentions of getting rid of openers Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique just yet.
Both players haven’t performed exceptionally well as of late, but have shown flashes of brilliance.
Considering the talent both batsmen possess and how young they are, Masood has vowed to give them more time to prove themselves.
“We have a young opening partnership of Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub and we need to give them time,” he was quoted as saying by PakPassion on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In Pakistan’s two-Test series against Bangladesh, 22-year-old Ayub made 135 runs, which included two fifties, at an average of 33.75.
As for Shafique, who is 24 years old, he amassed 42 runs at an average of 10.50.
Following this, Ayub accumulated 155 runs in three Tests against England, which included a career-best knock of 77, at an average of 25.83.
Shafique, meanwhile, scored 132 runs, which included a top score of 102, at an average of 26.40.
Pakistan are now taking on Australia in a limited overs series, which consists of three ODIs and three T20Is.
In the ODI leg, Shafique finished with 113 runs, which included a top score of 64 not out, at an average of 56.50.
Ayub also did well, making 125 runs, which included a career-best 82, at an average of 41.66.
As for the ongoing T20I series, Australia hold an unassailable 2-0 lead going into the third match, which will be played on November 18 in Hobart.
Once their tour of Australia finishes, Pakistan will travel to Zimbabwe to play three ODIs and three T20Is from November 24 to December 5.
Pakistan Squad for Australia ODI Series: Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Pakistan Squad for Australia T20I Series: Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan
Pakistan Squad for Zimbabwe ODI Series: Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani, Tayyab Tahir
Pakistan Squad for Zimbabwe T20I Series: Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan