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Pakistan Test cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has urged opening batter Saim Ayub to ‘learn the art of batting’ following his horror run with the bat in the recently concluded Asia Cup 2025.
Saim Ayub had endured a poor run with the bat in the continental tournament. The southpaw bagged overall four ducks, including three in a row, and could only manage to score 37 runs in just seven innings.
On the contrary, he had an impressive outing with the ball as he picked up eight wickets in six innings at an economy of 6.40 per over. Following his bowling contributions, he became the No.1 all-rounder in ICC T20I rankings.
Appearing in a recent podcast, Ahmed Shehzad reflected on his past comments about the left-hander, recalling that once he warned Saim could prove dangerous for Pakistan.
“Yes is proving to be dangerous,” he said in a light-hearted manner given his current struggles.
Ahmed Shehzad nevertheless praised the left-hander’s talent and called him a ‘blessing’ for Pakistan. He also mentioned Saim’s time with Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Quetta Gladiators.
“It’s turning out to be a blessing in disguise for us that we have this kind of talent.” “He was with us at Quetta Gladiators, where he hardly got any chances. He worked hard and started playing with more flair. Then he had one good season,” he continued.
The 33-year-old pointed out systematic flaws and the scarcity of batting talent in the country, alongside mentioning his performance and the number of matches he had played.
“In a country where there aren’t many players, when you find someone like this, you have to support him.
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 added.
Shehzad also emphasized his bowling and suggested that he needs to play domestic cricket to regain his form rather than being discarded altogether.
“His bowling can be useful against sides like Oman or UAE, but against stronger teams, it hasn’t worked. India, for example, took him apart.”
“Saim has to learn the art of scoring runs. He should go back to domestic cricket, play ‘A’ tours. There is no need to discard him completely,” he concluded.
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