Shan Masood: “Whenever we bring someone into the team, we want to ensure they get a fair opportunity to play. We’re trying to implement this approach with Saim, and he seems to be in good touch”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood has vowed to keep backing Saim Ayub as he wants to give the opening batsman a “fair opportunity to play”.
Ayub has had a decent start to his Test career, amassing 364 runs in eight matches, which includes three fifties, at an average of 26.
Knowing that the 23-year-old is one of the brightest prospects in Pakistan cricket right now, Masood knows it is important to give him time to showcase his brilliance with the bat.
“Whenever we bring someone into the team, we want to ensure they get a fair opportunity to play. We’re trying to implement this approach with Saim, and he seems to be in good touch,” Masood was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Ayub recently featured in Pakistan’s three-match T20I series against Bangladesh in Lahore and made 49 runs at an average of 16.33 and a strike-rate of 144.11.
He then proceeded to score 28 runs during Pakistan’s three-match T20I tour of Bangladesh at an average of 9.33 and a strike-rate of 121.73.
The men in green then travelled to the West Indies and Ayub kicked off his campaign with 130 runs in three T20Is, which included two fifties, at an average of 43.33 and a strike-rate of 135.41.
He failed to maintain that momentum in the ODI series as he mustered 28 runs at an average of 9.33.
After touring the West Indies, Pakistan won a T20I tri-series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Afghanistan in a T20I tri-series in Sharjah.
In the five games he played, Ayub amassed 111 runs, which included a top score of 69, at an average of 22.20 and a strike-rate of 132.14.
Pakistan are now taking part in the 2025 Asia Cup, which started on September 9 in the UAE and will end on September 28.
Pakistan squad for UAE T20I tri-series and 2025 Asia Cup: 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, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem