Salman Ali Agha: “Saim has been playing three formats and doing really well”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan limited overs vice-captain Salman Ali Agha has lauded opening batsman Saim Ayub, saying he has been “doing really well” in all three formats as of late.
After a slow start to his international career, Ayub has started heating up big time and has scored plenty of runs in Pakistan’s last few series.
During the men in green’s tour of Australia, he amassed 125 runs in three ODIs, which included a top score of 82, at an average of 41.66.
Ayub remained red-hot in the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe as well as he accumulated 155 runs, which included a career-best knock of 113 not out, at an average of 77.50.
As for the T20I series that followed, the 22-year-old made 60 runs in two matches at an average of 60.
The Karachi native hasn’t cooled down at all in the ongoing tour of South Africa as he started by scoring 129 runs in two T20Is, which included a career-best 98 not out, at an average of 129.
Pakistan and South Africa then played a three-match ODI series and Ayub finished with 235 runs, which included two centuries, at an average of 78.33.
“Saim has been playing three formats and doing really well,” Salman was quoted as saying by Geo Super.
Ayub will once again be in action when Pakistan take on South Africa in a two-Test series, which begins on December 26 in Centurion.
Pakistan Squad for South Africa T20I Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)
Pakistan Squad for South Africa ODI Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)
Pakistan Squad for South Africa Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha