Yasir Hameed: “His development is more important than anything… he is genuine and [a] quick learner”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan batsman Yasir Hameed said opener Saim Ayub’s development “is more important than anything”.
Ayub has shown immense potential over the last couple of months as he has racked up a number of big scores.
During the tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa, he struck three ODI centuries and a career-best 98 not out in T20Is.
However, he fractured his ankle during the Test series against South Africa and has been out of action since then.
Ayub missed the two-Test series against the West Indies, ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Despite the setback, Hameed knows the 22-year-old from Karachi is a “quick leaner” and wants him to keep growing so that he can become an even better batsman.
“His development is more important than anything… he is genuine and [a] quick learner,” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Pakistan and New Zealand are now playing a white-ball series, which Ayub wasn’t picked for as he is still recovering.
The men in green are 3-1 down in the T20I series going into the 5th T20I on March 26 in Wellington.
Once the T20Is conclude, Pakistan and New Zealand and will play three ODIs, with the first match starting on March 29 in Napier.
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
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