Saim Ayub burst onto the international scene in 2023 with a lot of promise. At just 21, the left-hander had flair, confidence, and a bat full of modern-day tricks, from no-look flicks to cheeky scoops. The hype around him was real. He was being touted as Pakistan’s next T20 star.

But two years on, the sheen has faded. The talent is still there, no doubt, but the results are not. With the T20 World Cup inching closer, the time may be right to press pause on Saim’s T20I run and let him find his form again through domestic cricket.

Recent Form: A String of Missed Opportunities

Pakistan’s recent T20I tour to Bangladesh was expected to be Saim’s chance to rediscover his rhythm. Instead, it added more questions than answers. Across the three-match series, the 23-year-old managed scores of 6, 1, and 21, looking completely out of touch.

He struggled to get going, misread deliveries, and never looked settled at the crease. The bigger concern was that this wasn’t a one-off. His poor form stretches back to the PSL 10, where he made just 174 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 125.17. One half-century in a tournament known for big-hitting openers isn’t good enough.

In fact, across six recent T20Is against Bangladesh (including the home series), Saim has scored only 77 runs at an average of 12.83, and while his strike rate reads a respectable 135.08, it hasn’t translated into impactful performances.

Career Stats Paint a Similar Picture

Let’s take a step back and look at the broader numbers. Since his debut, Saim Ayub has played 33 T20Is, scoring 575 runs at an average of 19.82 and a strike rate of 137.55. Just one half-century in all those outings tells the story.

In a format where batters are judged by their ability to change games quickly and consistently, those numbers don’t quite make the cut. Pakistan has invested in him, but with just 19 runs per innings to show for it, the time has come for a rethink.

And yes, he’s looked decent in ODIs, but T20Is demand a different level of consistency and impact, especially from your top-order batters.

Others Deserve a Longer Run

One of the more frustrating aspects of Saim’s continued inclusion is that it’s come at the expense of other in-form players. Take Sahibzada Farhan, for instance. He sat out the first two T20Is in Bangladesh while Saim opened.

When given a chance in the third game, he made an immediate impact, blasting 63 runs and winning Player of the Match. Even before that, in the home series against Bangladesh, Farhan had smashed a fifty. That’s the kind of response you want from someone eager to cement their place.

Farhan looks hungry and confident, two things Saim currently lacks. It makes perfect sense to back someone who’s in form, especially with the World Cup looming large.

Pair Farhan with the experienced Fakhar Zaman at the top, and you’ve got a left-right combo with power, experience and intent.

And let’s not forget names like Mohammad Haris and Hassan Nawaz, who are currently slotted in the middle-order, but they are also capable openers with big-hitting ability and fearless mindsets.

Not the End, Just a New Beginning

Dropping Saim Ayub now doesn’t mean giving up on him. In fact, it’s the opposite. He’s young, talented, and has a bright future, but right now, he needs to go back to domestic cricket, find his groove, score runs, and earn his way back.

He’s not the first big name to be dropped, either. If the likes of Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi can be rotated or rested when out of form, so can Saim.

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