Mohammad Hafeez: “Fakhar should be played instead of Saim because Saim is not producing anything as a batter. We don’t need his three overs since we already have six bowling options”

Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani

Former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez believes big-hitter Fakhar Zaman should be picked ahead of Saim Ayub in T20Is as the latter “is not producing anything as a batter”.

Ayub opens the batting for the men in green, but has endured a really turbulent time with the bat.

Zaman is also a natural opener, but has been moved up and down the batting order and has not gotten a consistent run of matches.

Hafeez believes this needs to change, arguing that Zaman could have a greater impact at the top of the order than Ayub is currently delivering.

“Fakhar should be played instead of Saim because Saim is not producing anything as a batter. We don’t need his three overs since we already have six bowling options,” he was quoted as saying by TOK Sports.

Both Zaman and Ayub were not picked for Pakistan’s ongoing two-Test series against the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago.

Following their tour of the West Indies, Pakistan will travel to England to play three Tests from August 19 to September 13.

Pakistan Squad for West Indies Test Series: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah

Pakistan Squad for England Test Series: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel (subject to fitness), Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah

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