Shoaib Malik: “Regardless of his past failures when it’s comes to T20, you can’t keep Saim Ayub out. He is an explosive batsman”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik has made it clear that opening batsman Saim Ayub cannot be kept out of the T20I team despite his past failures.
He noted that Ayub is such an “explosive batsman” that he can single-handedly change the outcome of a match.
The 22-year-old endured a disappointing start to his international career, but has started turning things around as of late.
During Pakistan’s tour of Australia, he struck 125 runs in three ODIs, which included a top score of 82, at an average of 41.66.
Pakistan then went to Zimbabwe and the runs continued flowing for Ayub as he made 155 runs in three ODIs, which included a career-best 113 not out, at an average of 77.50.
In the three-match T20I series, he amassed 60 runs in two games at an average of 60.
After this, the Karachi native travelled to South Africa with the men in green and kicked things off with 129 runs in two T20Is, which included a career-best knock of 98 not out, at an average of 129.
He then proceeded to accumulate 235 runs in three ODIs, which included two hundreds, at an average of 78.33.
As for the two-Test series, Ayub finished with 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 on the opening day.
Considering how Ayub has turned his fortunes around, Malik insisted there is no way the Pakistan selectors can even think of dropping him from the national team.
“Regardless of his past failures when it’s comes to T20, you can’t keep Saim Ayub out. He is an explosive batsman,” he was quoted as saying on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Due to his ankle injury, Ayub was not picked for Pakistan’s two-Test series against the West Indies in Multan, which ended as a 1-1 draw.
He was also ruled out of the ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, and the 2025 Champions Trophy, which will take place 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