Yasir Hameed: “Even in T20s, he needs to occupy the crease… This will be the crux of his innings. If he occupies it, then he can achieve everything”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan batsman Yasir Hameed knows opener Saim Ayub “can achieve everything” in his career if he focuses on spending more time at the crease.
Known for his explosive batting style, Ayub has often been a hit-or-miss performer, with his attacking approach leading to inconsistent results.
As a result, Hameed has urged the 23-year-old left-hander to temper his aggression and instead concentrate on building longer innings, noting that staying out in the middle will allow him to produce match-winning performances on a regular basis.
“Even in T20s, he needs to occupy the crease… This will be the crux of his innings. If he occupies it, then he can achieve everything,” he told PakPassion.
Ayub was recently involved in Pakistan’s T20I series against Australia in Lahore, where he scored 119 runs in three matches, which included a top score of 56, at an average of 39.66 and a strike-rate of 170.
He is now taking part in the 2026 T20 World Cup and has made 43 runs in two matches at an average of 21.50 and a strike-rate of 143.33.
Having secured victories against the Netherlands and United States of America, Pakistan will look to maintain their perfect record when they go up against India on February 15 in Colombo.
Pakistan Squad for 2026 T20 World Cup: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq