Pakistan opener Saim Ayub requested to return to domestic cricket to work on his batting form and regain confidence during the ODI tri-series. According to senior Pakistani journalist Abdul Majid Bhatti, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) accepted his request following discussions with head coach Mike Hesson.
Ayub scored just 21 runs in three innings against Sri Lanka and England. Pakistan have already qualified for the final with three consecutive wins and will face Sri Lanka at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Tuesday, October 27. Sahibzada Farhan has been named his replacement for the remainder of the tournament.
PCB Accepts Saim Ayub’s Request to Return to Domestic Cricket
Abdul Majid Bhatti reported that the team management agreed to release Ayub so he could focus on improving his batting form following discussions with head coach Mike Hesson.
“After a conversation with the head coach, Saim requested a desire to return to domestic cricket to work on his batting form and regain confidence,” Bhatti’s post stated.
The PCB also confirmed that the management and selection committee had accepted the opener’s request after considering his assessment of his current form.
“Respecting Saim’s decision and appreciating his honest assessment of his current form, the team management and national selection committee have mutually agreed to accept this request,” the PCB statement read.
“The national selection committee has subsequently named Sahibzada Farhan as Saim’s replacement for the remainder of the tri-series,” the statement added.
Saim Ayub Scores Just 21 Runs in Three Tri-Series Innings
Saim Ayub struggled to make an impact at the top of the order alongside Fakhar Zaman. He scored seven off eight balls against Sri Lanka on October 18 before left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka dismissed him.
He managed eight off six deliveries in his next outing against England, falling to Sonny Baker. Against England again on October 25, he scored six off 12 balls before Henry Crocombe dismissed him.
Farhan will join the squad for the remainder of the tri-series ahead of their final league match against Sri Lanka at Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday, October 27.
He has scored 101 runs in six ODIs at an average of 16.83 and a strike rate of 75.93. In List A cricket, he has scored 3,165 runs in 81 matches at an average of 40.06, including eight centuries and 20 half-centuries.
Saim Ayub’s ODI Record Contrasts With Recent Struggles
Despite his recent run of low scores, Saim Ayub has produced strong numbers in ODI cricket. He has scored 772 runs in 20 matches at an average of 40.63 and a strike rate of 99.36, including three centuries and three half-centuries. His highest score is 113 not out.
His numbers in the other international formats have been less impressive. In Test cricket, Ayub has scored 364 runs in nine matches at an average of 22.75, with three half-centuries but no century.
In T20Is, the left-hander has accumulated 1,356 runs in 71 matches and 67 innings at an average of 21.19 and a strike rate of 136.42. He has registered six half-centuries in the format.
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