Pakistan’s opening partnership is the most pressing selection question to address during their T20 World Cup warm-up series against England. Aayush Majumdar analyzes whether Saim Ayub should remain at the top of the order or if the proven Babar Azam-Mohammad Rizwan partnership should be reinstated.
Why fix something that isn’t broken? This concern has gained momentum among a section of Pakistan's fans ever since the record-breaking Babar Azam-Mohammad Rizwan T20I opening partnership was disrupted earlier this year. In Pakistan’s last two T20I series, 21-year-old Saim Ayub has been the only constant at the top, with Rizwan partnering him in the latest series against Ireland. However, despite his promising performances in the PSL, Ayub's inclusion has yet to yield significant results.
As Pakistan begins their warm-up series for the T20 World Cup against reigning champions England, much attention will be on Ayub as the team aims to finalize their lineup for the tournament.
Who is Saim Ayub?
Saim Ayub burst onto the scene in the 2021 Pakistan Super League (PSL) with the Quetta Gladiators. However, his debut season was underwhelming, scoring only 114 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 108.57. At just 19 years old, Ayub did not feature in the following season. A breakthrough performance in Pakistan’s domestic T20 tournament that year set the stage for his resurgence. He finished as the second-highest run-scorer, with the second-best strike rate, and hit the most sixes in the tournament.
The left-handed batter continued his impressive form in the 2023 PSL, amassing 341 runs with five 50+ scores, which earned him his maiden T20I call-up. Ayub made his international debut just days after the PSL concluded. He also topped the scoring charts in the 2023 Pakistan Cup. Despite making a duck in his second T20I appearance, he bounced back with a 49 off 40 balls in his next innings and an eye-catching 28-ball 47 in the subsequent series against New Zealand. However, consistency has been an issue, with nine of his 15 T20I innings ending with scores of 10 or less.
Following a challenging international stint, Ayub continued to shine in the most recent PSL season, finishing as the fifth-highest run-scorer in the 2024 edition with 345 runs.
T20I Difficulties The increased attention from Ayub’s PSL success has added pressure to his international career. The disparity between his franchise performances and T20I results is a source of frustration for Pakistan, with the potential Ayub brings being the main reason for his extended run in the side.
Since his T20I debut in March last year, Ayub has played 20 games for Pakistan, opening the batting 16 times and scoring 284 runs at an average of under 16 with a strike rate of 130.87. While Rizwan and Babar have alternated as the second opener this year, Ayub has consistently been placed at the top.
Two of Ayub’s three 40+ scores in T20Is have come while batting at No. 4, with his most notable contribution as an opener being a 29-ball 45 in the first T20I against Ireland earlier this month. However, he followed that with a disappointing six in a 194-run chase, drawing heavy criticism from Ramiz Raja, who emphasized the need to revive the Babar-Rizwan opening partnership.
“Another thing they need to look at is their opening pair,” said Raja. “I don’t think Saim Ayub gives you security. He shows flashes of brilliance, but you have to show sustainable flashes of brilliance. If you’re not scoring 50 off 30 balls these days, it means you opening and breaking a registered pair of Babar and Rizwan is not worth it.
“The think tank needs to understand if these flashes of brilliance are acceptable to them, if these failures are acceptable to them, or if they want solid, sturdy, confident starts, which Babar and Rizwan have always provided,” Raja added.
Breaking up the Babar-Rizwan Partnership While Babar and Rizwan have scored more runs together than any other opening T20I partnership in history, part of the reasoning behind breaking it up for Ayub is their strike rate. Of T20I opening partnerships with over 1,000 runs, only Andy Balbirnie and Paul Stirling (7.90) have a lower run rate than Babar and Rizwan (7.92).
Ayub’s PSL strike rates of 165 and 158 in the two most recent editions, where he batted alongside Babar, seemed to offer a solution to the powerplay run rate issue. However, Ayub has not yet delivered a strike rate increase at the international level. His highest partnership run rate in T20Is is 7.86 with Babar, and his overall T20I strike rate of 130.87 is significantly below his PSL rate.
Promoting Ayub to let his innovative shots shine during the powerplay was well-intended. Now, the dilemma is whether to continue placing faith in the promising youngster or to revert to their established openers despite their limitations. Ayub’s potential was enough to disrupt a highly successful partnership. Delivering on that potential ahead of the T20 World Cup is crucial for maintaining his position at the top.
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