Shoaib Akhtar: “Saim Ayub also has to deliver – he’s a great talent, we need to invest in him and ensure he becomes a big brand”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pace icon Shoaib Akhtar wants Pakistan to keep investing in opening batsman Saim Ayub as he is a “great talent” who can become “a big brand”.
Ayub has showcased his talent on numerous occasions, especially towards the end of 2024, where he struck three ODI centuries and a career-best 98 not out in T20Is during Pakistan’s tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa.
The 23-year-old fractured his ankle during the Test series against the Proteas and made a comeback during the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL).
In 10 matches for the Peshawar Zalmi, Ayub made 174 runs, which included a top score of 50, at an average of 17.40 and a strike-rate of 125.17.
He then proceeded to score 49 runs in Pakistan’s three-match T20I series against Bangladesh at an average of 16.33 and a strike-rate of 144.11.
As for Pakistan’s tour of Bangladesh, the Karachi native accumulated 28 runs at an average of 9.33 and a strike-rate of 121.73.
Akhtar expects more from Ayub and acknowledged that the youngster has to deliver as he has shown he can shine at the international level.
“Saim Ayub also has to deliver – he’s a great talent, we need to invest in him and ensure he becomes a big brand,” the Rawalpindi Express was quoted as saying by TOK Sports on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Pakistan just concluded their tour of the West Indies, which consisted of three T20Is and three ODIs.
Ayub seemed to regain some form in the T20I series as he finished with 130 runs, which included two fifties, at an average of 43.33 and a strike-rate of 135.41.
Pakistan won the T20I series 2-1.
As for the ODI series, which the West Indies won 2-1, Ayub made 28 runs at an average of 9.33.
Pakistan Squad for West Indies T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem
Pakistan Squad for West Indies ODI Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem
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