Harsha Bhogle: “Saim Ayub is the person I am looking forward to from Pakistan”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Well-known cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle said the Pakistan player he looks forward to seeing now is opening batsman Saim Ayub.
He noted that Ayub used to be overlooked since limited overs captain Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam used to be Pakistan’s go-to openers in T20Is.
Bhogle added that the last time he was this excited about a Pakistan player was when big-hitter Fakhar Zaman burst onto the scene.
“For a long time, Saim wouldn’t get picked because of Rizwan and Babar at the top. The last time a player like this excited me was Fakhar Zaman. I know there is a bit of turmoil going around him at this point. Saim Ayub is the person I am looking forward to from Pakistan,” he said on his YouTube channel as quoted by PakPassion on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Ayub recently featured in Pakistan’s white-ball series against Australia and scored 125 runs in three ODIs, which included a top score of 82, at an average of 41.66.
He then made 155 runs in three ODIs against Zimbabwe, which included a career-best 113 not out, at an average of 77.50.
As for the three T20Is, he finished with 60 runs in two games at an average of 60.
Pakistan are now touring South Africa and Ayub began his campaign with 129 runs in two T20Is, which included a career-best knock of 98 not out, at an average of 129.
He continued to impress in the three-match ODI series, accumulating 235 runs, which included two centuries, at an average of 78.33.
Pakistan and South Africa are now playing a two-Test series, which the Proteas lead 1-0 after winning the 1st Test in Centurion by two wickets.
Ayub made scores of 14 and 27 in the 1st Test.
The 2nd Test will start on January 3 in Cape Town.
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
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