ISLAMABAD
\nPakistan opener Fakhar Zaman has stirred cricketing circles after hailing Saim Ayub as the \u201cupdated version\u201d of Babar Azam, adding that the young left-hander has not yet showcased 80 per cent of his talent.
\nIn a video released by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), Fakhar praised Saim\u2019s skills and style of play, comparing him to former Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who has earned multiple ICC accolades for his batting brilliance. \u201cSomeone asked me in Lahore, and I told him that he is Babar Azam\u2019s updated version,\u201d Fakhar said. \u201cHe is a very different player, and I think he has not yet shown 80 per cent of himself to the world.\u201d
\nThe 35-year-old batter highlighted that despite Saim\u2019s promising start, his best is yet to come.
\nSaim Ayub made his T20I debut for Pakistan in March 2023 and has played 41 matches so far. He has scored 816 runs at an average of 22.05 with a strike rate of 136.45, including four half-centuries. His career-best knock of 98 not out came against South Africa in Centurion, a performance that underlined his potential as a match-winner for the Green Shirts.
\nPakistan\u2019s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson echoed Fakhar\u2019s remarks. While noting that Saim\u2019s contributions have not always been consistent, he emphasized the impact of the youngster\u2019s runs.
\n\u201cLook, Saim is a key player for us, and we know that if Saim scores runs, we generally win,\u201d Hesson said. \u201cIt\u2019s not so much about contributions; it\u2019s a matter of if it\u2019s your day, you win\u2014and Saim is certainly one of those players.\u201d
\nThis is not the first time Fakhar has placed Saim in the same league as Babar Azam. In earlier interviews, he described Saim as Pakistan\u2019s most exciting talent since Babar\u2019s rise. The timing of the comment is significant as Babar faces a challenging period in his career, having lost his T20I spot to younger players while struggling to replicate his past dominance. While Saim\u2019s promise excites fans, analysts caution that it may be premature to compare him directly with Babar, one of Pakistan\u2019s most accomplished batters in history.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman has stirred cricketing circles after hailing Saim Ayub as the \u201cupdated version\u201d of Babar Azam, adding that the young left-hander has not yet showcased 80 per cent of his talent. In a video released by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), Fakhar praised Saim\u2019s skills and style of play, comparing him […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-502780","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n