Mike Hesson: “Players like Sahibzada Farhan, Saim, and Fakhar have fully earned their spot[s]”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan white-ball head coach Mike Hesson said the batting trio of Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman have “fully earned their spot[s]” in the team.
The trio have been involved in Pakistan’s recent assignments, which include a three-match T20I series against Bangladesh in Lahore, a T20I tour of Bangladesh, and a white-ball tour of the West Indies.
Most recently, they played in a T20I tri-series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Afghanistan in Sharjah, which the men in green won.
Zaman scored 155 runs in five matches, which included a top score of 77 not out, at an average of 38.75 and a strike-rate of 138.39.
As for Ayub, he made 111 runs in five games, which included a top score of 69, at an average of 22.20 and a strike-rate of 132.14.
Farhan, meanwhile, finished with 63 runs in five matches at an average of 12.60 and a strike-rate of 150.
“Players like Sahibzada Farhan, Saim, and Fakhar have fully earned their spot[s],” Hesson was quoted as saying by PakPassion on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Pakistan are now featuring in the 2025 Asia Cup, which is being held in the UAE.
So far, Ayub has mustered 21 runs in four games at an average of 5.25 and a strike-rate of 100, while Zaman has amassed 105 runs, which includes a top score of 50, at an average of 35 and a strike-rate of 138.15.
Farhan is currently Pakistan’s highest run-scorer in the tournament with 132 runs, which includes a top score of 58, at an average of 33 and a strike-rate of 101.53.
In the group stage, the men in green defeated Oman and the UAE, but lost to India.
Their record was enough to secure them a spot in the Super Four, where they started off with a six-wicket loss to India.
Pakistan will look to bounce back when they face Sri Lanka on September 23 in Abu Dhabi.
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
[TS_Poll id=”85″]