Salman Ali Agha: “They are match-winners on their day”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha is fully aware that big-hitting batsmen Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman “are match-winners on their day”.
Ayub and Zaman have showcased their brute strength and power-hitting skills on numerous occasions.
Prior to fracturing his ankle towards the end of 2024, Ayub scored three ODI centuries and a career-best 98 not out in T20Is – all of which came during Pakistan’s tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Zaman was also recalled to the national team recently, but suffered an oblique injury during the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Both players made their comebacks at the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL), with Ayub amassing 174 runs in 10 matches for the Peshawar Zalmi, which included a top score of 50, at an average of 17.40 and a strike-rate of 125.17.
As for Zaman, he helped the Lahore Qalandars win PSL 10 as he was the second-highest run-scorer with 439 runs, which included four fifties, at an average of 33.76 and a strike-rate of 152.96.
“They are match-winners on their day,” Salman was quoted as saying by A Sports.
The 31-year-old will now captain Pakistan in their three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, which will see Ayub and Zaman make their international returns.
The three T20Is will be played in Lahore from May 28 to June 1.
Pakistan Squad for Bangladesh T20I Series:Â Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper) and Saim Ayub