After asking for time to improve his batting, Pakistani batsman Saim Ayub was dropped from the national team for the current ODI tri-series against England and Sri Lanka. The left-handed hitter wants to return to domestic cricket in order to enhance his form and regain his confidence, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Monday.
For the remainder of the competition, batsman Sahibzada Farhan has been brought in to cover the void. Farhan is back in the ODI lineup after being left out of Pakistan’s initial tri-series selection. In the current series, Ayub has struggled, scoring three straight single-digit totals in the same number of games. He made the decision to leave the team and concentrate on his game after speaking with the head coach about the circumstances.
In a press release by Dawn, the PCB said, “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.”
Ayub’s departure comes after a challenging phase in the tri-series. He was removed for six runs during Pakistan’s one-wicket triumph over England at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday, which contributed to a top-order collapse that put the team in grave danger. In the end, Pakistan won thanks to Shadab Khan’s undefeated 113 and an uninterrupted last-wicket stand with Haris Rauf. Prior to the game, Shaheen Shah Afridi, the captain of Pakistan, had also recognised the team’s selection options in light of the uneven results from the top order.
The star of Pakistan’s most recent victory was Shadab Khan, who scored his first century in an incredible chase against England at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Pakistan won by one wicket in the 48th over after successfully chasing down 242. Shadab and Haris Rauf maintained an uninterrupted 89-run stand for the last wicket, with Shadab remaining undefeated at 113 off 96 balls and contributing seven runs.
At the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium earlier in the competition, Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by 37 runs after scoring 305. At the same location, they went on to defeat England by 87 runs, scoring 302/9. Pakistan has already secured their spot in the final and is the only unbeaten team in the tri-series, with three victories from three games.
