Correspondent, 26 October: Pakistan opening batter Saim Ayub has been released from the ongoing ODI tri-series squad to return to domestic cricket. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) accepted Ayub's request to step away in order to rebuild his lost confidence and improve his batting form, naming Sahibzada Farhan as his replacement for the rest of the tournament.
The decision to relieve Ayub from the squad was finalized by the management following discussions with head coach Mike Hesson. Confirming the development, the PCB issued a statement noting, "Respecting Saim's decision and appreciating his honest assessment of his current form, the team management and the national selection committee have mutually agreed to accept his request." The board added, "The national selection committee has announced Sahibzada Farhan as Saim's replacement for the remaining matches of the tri-series."
Opening the innings alongside Fakhar Zaman, Ayub struggled to produce substantial totals in the series, managing a mere 21 runs across three innings against Sri Lanka and England. On October 18 against Sri Lanka, left-arm fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka dismissed him after he scored 7 runs off 8 balls. In a subsequent match against England, he fell to Sonny Baker's bowling, making 8 runs from 6 deliveries. On October 25, playing against England again, he was dismissed by Henry Crocombe, managing only 6 runs from 12 balls.
Despite these top-order struggles, Pakistan has already secured a spot in the final on the back of three consecutive wins in the series. Before their final group-stage match against Sri Lanka—scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium—Farhan will link up with the team.
Entering the squad, Farhan holds an ODI record of 101 runs in six matches at an average of 16.83 and a strike rate of 75.93. His List A career features 81 appearances, yielding 3,165 runs at an average of 40.06, which includes eight centuries and 20 half-centuries.
Aside from his current slump, Ayub has maintained a solid overall ODI record. In 20 One Day Internationals, he has accumulated 772 runs at an average of 40.63 and a strike rate of 99.36, registering three hundreds, three fifties, and a high score of 113 not out. However, his numbers in other formats remain less impactful. Across nine Tests, he has scored 364 runs at an average of 22.75, with three half-centuries and zero hundreds. Additionally, in 71 T20 Internationals, he has batted in 67 innings to amass 1,356 runs at a 21.19 average and a 136.42 strike rate, hitting six half-centuries.
