Mickey Arthur: “He certainly gives you that Saim Ayub type effect. He hits the ball in different areas and he’s a little bit manic at the crease, but he has the ability to get you off to a really good start. That could be an option”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur believes Usman Khan could open the batting as he “gives you that Saim Ayub-type effect”.
Ayub is currently sidelined with a fractured ankle and Babar Azam has been playing as an opener lately.
However, Arthur feels that Usman might be better suited at the top of the order as he can get Pakistan “off to a really good start” since he possesses plenty of firepower.
The 29-year-old recently represented the Chittagong Kings in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and amassed 285 runs in eight matches, which included a century and two fifties, at an average of 35.62 and a strike-rate of 167.64.
Usman was picked in Pakistan’s squad for the ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, and the 2025 Champions Trophy, but wasn’t included in the playing XI for any of the matches.
“You look for somebody at the top of the order now, is it… I saw Usman Khan play one or two really good innings in the BPL. He was a little bit inconsistent, but he certainly gives you that Saim Ayub type effect. He hits the ball in different areas and he’s a little bit manic at the crease, but he has the ability to get you off to a really good start. That could be an option,” Arthur said in a video posted by respected journalist Saj Sadiq on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Pakistan were eliminated in the group stage of the Champions Trophy after losing to New Zealand and India, while their final game against Bangladesh was washed out.
The men in green will now tour New Zealand and play five T20Is and three ODIs from March 16 to April 5.
Pakistan Squad for T20I Series against New Zealand: Hasan Nawaz, Omair Yousuf, Mohammad Haris, Abdul Samad, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Irfan Khan Niazi, Khushdil Shah, Shadab Khan, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Khan
Pakistan Squad for ODI Series against New Zealand: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Irfan Khan Niazi, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir
[TS_Poll id=”126″]
Because Shadab Khan has been consistently performing well in domestic cricket, having scored 1500 runs at a strike rate of 150 in just two seasons, and taken 50 wickets in only 25 matches. That’s why he has been appointed as the vice-captain (future captain) of the T20 team. Aaqib Javed never has a logical answer to any question; he just considers himself all-knowing. Both the team management and selection committee are oblivious to the facts, and the ironic thing is that our chairman also blindly accepts everything. New talent is being wasted. The futures of several players, including Hasibullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Haris, Kashif Ali, and Saud Shakeel, are being ruined. However, we consider Shadab Khan’s return as a milestone.
Opener batsman is not the key to win the match, all squad players must given theirs best to win. My opinion middle order must be strong.