Rashid Latif: “I am worried about Saim Ayub’s injury, and with Abdullah Shafique also out of form, we are left in a bit of a dilemma”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Rashid Latif has admitted that opening batsman Abdullah Shafique is “out of form”, which is a problem for the men in green.
Shafique was dismissed for three ducks in a row during Pakistan’s ODI series against South Africa.
To make matters worse, he was dropped for the two-Test series against the West Indies and also didn’t make the cut for the ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
In addition to Shafique’s lack of runs, Latif pointed out that opener Saim Ayub’s ankle injury is another headache for Pakistan.
Ayub had been in fabulous form prior to fracturing his ankle, which occurred during the two-Test series against South Africa.
Having racked up three ODI centuries during the tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa, the 22-year-old was set to be a key player for the men in green in the Champions Trophy.
However, he has not recovered in time and was therefore left out of Pakistan’s squad.
“I am worried about Saim Ayub’s injury, and with Abdullah Shafique also out of form, we are left in a bit of a dilemma,” Latif was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Pakistan Squad for 2025 Champions Trophy: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah
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