Shoaib Malik: “Saim, Nawaz, and Faheem cannot be complete bowlers”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik has openly questioned the bowling abilities of Saim Ayub, Mohammad Nawaz, and Faheem Ashraf, remarking that they “cannot be complete bowlers”.
All three of them were used by T20I captain Salman Ali Agha during Pakistan’s T20I tri-series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Afghanistan, as well as the 2025 Asia Cup.
In the T20I tri-series, Ayub took two wickets at an average of 42, Nawaz got 10 wickets at an average of 11.70, and Faheem finished with four wickets at an average of 17.
Ayub fared much better in the Asia Cup, picking up eight wickets at an average of 16, while Nawaz claimed two wickets at an average of 43.50.
As for Faheem, he ended up with six wickets at an average of 19.66.
Even though the trio have contributed with wickets in Pakistan’s recent assignments, Malik remains unconvinced that they are genuine specialist bowlers.
“Saim, Nawaz, and Faheem cannot be complete bowlers,” he was quoted as saying by TOK Sports on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Pakistan will now host South Africa for two Tests, three T20Is, and three ODIs, which will take place from October 12 to November 8.
Pakistan squad for South Africa Test series: Shan Masood (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Asif Afridi, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi