Mohsin Naqvi: “His plaster has been removed, and he is in touch with his doctors. He will take at least three to four weeks to regain full fitness, but we hope to see him return to the team soon”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has confirmed that opening batsman Saim Ayub is set to return to the national team in the near future.
Ayub is currently sidelined with a fractured ankle, which he sustained during the recent two-Test series against South Africa.
Naqvi revealed that the 22-year-old’s “plaster has been removed” and will need “at least three to four weeks to regain full fitness”. Once this happens, it is likely the Karachi native will be added into the Pakistan team right away.
“His plaster has been removed, and he is in touch with his doctors. He will take at least three to four weeks to regain full fitness, but we hope to see him return to the team soon,” he was quoted as saying by Samaa TV.
Prior to his injury, Ayub was unstoppable with the bat as he struck 125 runs in three ODIs against Australia, which included a top score of 82, at an average of 41.66.
He then toured Zimbabwe with the Pakistan team and hit 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.
Pakistan then travelled to South Africa and Ayub’s onslaught continued as he made 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 three ODIs, which included two hundreds, at an average of 78.33.
As for the two-Test series, he ended up 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 due to the ankle injury he suffered.
Ayub missed Pakistan’s two-Test series against the West Indies in Multan, which ended as a 1-1 draw.
Since he is still recovering, he was not included in Pakistan’s team for the ongoing 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
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