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LAHORE: Pakistan cricket team’s teenage batting star Saim Ayub was “disappointed” after failing to achieve a half-century against New Zealand in the opening T20 encounter of the home series.
In the first match on Friday, Saim struck 47 off 28 balls before being run out and falling short of his half-century.
He entered the fray with Pakistan on 30/2 in 4.2 overs. Saim and Fakhar added 79 runs off 42 balls for the third wicket.
Saim stated that playing against the new ball in the early stages of Pakistan’s innings was difficult, and New Zealand bowlers also performed admirably throughout the power play, speaking to the media after the game.
“My strategy was to play the shots on merits, stay positive, and play as long as possible,” he explained.
“It’s disappointing not to be able to complete the half-century, but that’s okay because my intention was to help my team get out of a bind,” Saim remarked.
In the first T20I, the 20-year-old cricketer, who usually bats as an opener, batted at number four. But batting position isn’t an issue for him.
“The only difference for me is the difference between new and old balls,” he explained. “It also overcomes sometimes because I can come to bat even inside power play overs.”
“I can play at any position for the team’s needs, I can plan and execute to any number,” he stated.
In response to a query, Saim stated that in modern-day cricket, it is critical to bat aggressively.
“I believe that if one wants to stay relevant in this era, he must play aggressive cricket.” “If you look at the top teams in the world, they all play aggressive cricket,” he says.
Saim stated that playing with Babar Azam in the Pakistan Super League taught him a lot about batting.
“Batting is something that anyone can do; he taught me how to bat strategically,” he added.
“You know, one can still make runs despite not putting much effort or planning in, but what Babar taught me was how to read the game, understand the situation, and plan your innings, which was very helpful,” the young hitter explained.
When questioned about his series aims, Saim stated that he wanted Pakistan to win the series 5-0 and for his runs to help the team’s victory.
