Ahmed Shehzad: “He has already been given 50 chances – that’s the length of some players’ entire careers. He has been handed 50 chances despite failures”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan batsman Ahmed Shehzad wants opener Saim Ayub to start delivering as he has “already been given 50 chances.”
Shehzad noted that the 23-year-old should consider himself very fortunate as some players only get 50 opportunities throughout their entire careers.
Ayub is one of the top young prospects in Pakistan, but he has struggled to score runs regularly at the international level.
Nonetheless, Shehzad is hoping he can turn his fortunes around and start paying dividends in the near future.
“He has already been given 50 chances – that’s the length of some players’ entire careers. He has been handed 50 chances despite failures,” he was quoted as saying by ARY News.
Ayub recently struggled in the 2025 Asia Cup, scoring just 37 runs across seven matches, including four ducks, with an average of 5.28 and a strike rate of 97.36.
Pakistan are now taking on South Africa on home soil, but Ayub didn’t feature in the two-Test series.
He made a comeback for the three-match T20I series and impressed by scoring 108 runs, which included a top score of 71 not out, at an average of 54 and a strike-rate of 150.
The Karachi-born batsman has carried that newfound form into the ongoing three-match ODI series, where he has racked up 92 runs in two games, which includes a top score of 53, at an average of 46.
After the South Africa series, Pakistan will face Sri Lanka in three ODIs from November 11 to 15.
This will be followed by a T20I tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe from November 17 to 29.
Pakistan squad for South Africa ODI Series: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka ODI Series: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq
Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem
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