Mickey Arthur: “Saim certainly created momentum and looked very special”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has admitted that opening batsman Saim Ayub looks “very special”.
Ayub has been unstoppable over the past couple of months as he has notched up numerous big scores, including three ODI hundreds.
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 followed that up with 155 runs in three ODIs against Zimbabwe, which included a career-best 113 not out, at an average of 77.50.
As for the T20Is, he made 60 runs in two games at an average of 60.
Pakistan are now touring South Africa and Ayub continued to impress in the three-match T20I series, amassing 129 runs in two games, which included a career-best knock of 98 not out, at an average of 129.
He then struck 235 runs in the three ODIs, which included two centuries, at an average of 78.33.
In the two-Test series that followed, Ayub made 41 runs at an average of 20.50. However, it should be noted that he didn’t bat in the 2nd Test in Cape Town as he fractured his ankle while fielding on the opening day.
Despite this setback, Arthur pointed out that the 22-year-old from Karachi creates momentum and has all the skills needed to be an elite player for Pakistan for a long time.
“Saim certainly created momentum and looked very special!” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Ayub’s injury ruled him out of Pakistan’s two-Test series against the West Indies in Multan, which ended as a 1-1 draw.
It also resulted in him not being selected for the ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, along with the 2025 Champions Trophy, which will be held from February 19 to March 9.
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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