Shaun Pollock: “I would be very surprised if Saim Ayub doesn’t achieve a career similar to Babar Azam’s. He’s an incredible talent and only 22 years old”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Legendary South Africa pace bowler Shaun Pollock has predicted that opening batsman Saim Ayub will have a similar career to Babar Azam.
Ayub has been very impressive over the past few months, notching up multiple big scores in both ODIs and T20Is.
Considering the fact that Ayub is just 22 years old, Pollock sees plenty more runs in store for the Karachi native.
During Pakistan’s tour of Australia, Ayub accumulated 125 runs in three ODIs, which included a top score of 82, at an average of 41.66.
Following this, he went to Zimbabwe with the Pakistan team and scored 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 finished with 60 runs in two games at an average of 60.
Pakistan then embarked on a tour of South Africa and Ayub started by smashing 129 runs in two T20Is, which included a career-best knock of 98 not out, at an average of 129.
He continued to dominate in the three-match ODI series, making 235 runs, which included two hundreds, at an average of 78.33.
As for the two-Test series, he only managed to score 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.
“I would be very surprised if Saim Ayub doesn’t achieve a career similar to Babar Azam’s. He’s an incredible talent and only 22 years old,” Pollock was quoted as saying on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Ayub wasn’t selected for Pakistan’s two-Test series against the West Indies in Multan due to his injury.
He also didn’t get picked for the ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, and the 2025 Champions Trophy, which will be played 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
[TS_Poll id=”161″]