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Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar appeared to take a veiled dig at young opener Saim Ayub after the left-hander fell for a golden duck in the Asia Cup 2025 clash against Oman.
Ayub’s stay lasted just one ball as he misjudged a delivery that kept low while attempting a pick-up shot.
Struck on the back leg, he opted for DRS, but ball-tracking showed the delivery crashing into middle stump. Pakistan were reduced to 4-1 inside the first over, with Ayub walking back alongside the lost review.
Speaking during a post-match discussion on a local sports platform, Shoaib Akhtar underlined the importance of reading the game and settling at the crease, rather than relying on flamboyance.
“For a batsman, it’s about feeling the ball on the bat, judging the placement, the length, the bounce, and adjusting technique accordingly,” Akhtar said.
“You don’t need too much movement. Within two to four balls, a batter gets the feel. It’s not about playing no-look shots; it’s about understanding the game.”
While Akhtar did not mention Saim Ayub directly, his remarks seemed to point towards the youngster’s costly first-ball dismissal.
Despite the early setback, Pakistan went on to dominate the contest. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Haris played a blistering knock of 66 off 43 balls, laced with seven fours and three sixes.
Contributions from Sahibzada Farhan (29), Fakhar Zaman (23),* and Mohammad Nawaz (19) helped Pakistan post 160/7 in 20 overs.
In response, Oman collapsed under relentless pressure, folding for just 67 in 16.4 overs.
The bowling unit fired in unison as Saim Ayub, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Faheem Ashraf grabbed two wickets each, while Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, and Nawaz chipped in with one apiece.
The comprehensive 93-run victory gave Pakistan a flying start to their campaign, moving them to second in Group A with two points and a healthy net run rate of +4.650.
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