Yasir Hameed: “Saim Ayub, I think he needs to understand that he has a lot of shots and should be very selective”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan batsman Yasir Hameed has offered valuable advice to young opener Saim Ayub, urging him to be “very selective” with his shots given his crucial role at the top of the order.
Hameed emphasized that Ayub’s primary responsibility is to provide a solid foundation for the other batsmen in the team to build on, which requires greater patience and awareness early in his innings.
He added that as an opener, Ayub must avoid throwing his wicket away and focus on building partnerships.
Acknowledging the 23-year-old’s attacking playing style, Hameed encouraged him to strike the right balance between aggression and composure, learning when to attack and when to rein in his urge to go big.
“Saim Ayub, I think he needs to understand that he has a lot of shots and should be very selective,” he told PakPassion.
Ayub recently featured in Pakistan’s three-match T20I series against Australia and made 119 runs, which included a top score of 56, at an average of 39.66 and a strike-rate of 170.
He is now in action in the 2026 T20 World Cup and has amassed 49 runs in three matches at an average of 16.33 and a strike-rate of 153.12.
Bowling-wise, he has claimed five wickets at an average of 8.60 and an economy rate of 7.16.
Pakistan’s next game will be against Namibia on February 18 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
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