Pakistan opener Saim Ayub: “I don’t agree that the whole team depends on me. It’s not one player that makes the team; the entire team matters, and every player contributes and counts”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan opening batsman Saim Ayub said he doesn’t agree with the notion that the national team “depends on me”.
Ayub has been one of Pakistan’s top performers over the past few months as he has put up plenty of big scores and helped the men in green win numerous matches.
During the tour of Australia, he accumulated 125 runs in three ODIs, which included a top score of 82, at an average of 41.66.
He then travelled to Zimbabwe and kicked things off with 155 runs in three ODIs, which included a career-best 113 not out, at an average of 77.50.
In the T20I series that followed, he made 60 runs in two games at an average of 60.
Pakistan then headed to South Africa and Ayub didn’t slow down one bit as he hammered 129 runs in two T20Is, which included a career-best knock of 98 not out, at an average of 129.
He followed it up with 235 runs in the three-match ODI series, which included two centuries, at an average of 78.33.
As for the two-Test series, he ended up making 41 runs at an average of 20.50. However, it should be noted that he didn’t bat at all in the 2nd Test in Cape Town as he fractured his ankle while fielding on the opening day.
Even though he has had a massive impact in the last few series, the 22-year-old stressed that it is wrong to say Pakistan have been reliant on him.
“I don’t agree that the whole team depends on me. It’s not one player that makes the team; the entire team matters, and every player contributes and counts,” he told Geo News.
Due to his injury, Ayub missed Pakistan’s two-Test series against the West Indies in Multan, which ended as a 1-1 draw.
It now remains to be seen if he will be fit in time for the 2025 Champions Trophy, which will be played from February 19 to March 9.
Pakistan Squad for West Indies Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Kashif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha
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