LAHORE: Former captain Ramiz Raja on Wednesday suggested a change in the batting position of opener Saim Ayub after the left-hander failed to impress at the top of the order.
Saim also struggled in the three-match T20I series against Ireland that ended yesterday.
Saim made 45 in the first T20I but managed only 6 and 14 in the other two T20Is. The left-hander has yet to score a half-century in his T20I career and fans are questioning his place in the playing XI. He scored 284 runs in 18 innings at an average of 15.77.
Speaking after the third T20I between Pakistan and Ireland on Tuesday, Ramiz said Saim should be tested in the middle order.
For Saim Ayub, there is a case and a trial. He has intelligence and potential, but he cannot score,” said Ramiz on his YouTube channel.
“We are struggling for six overs and pace in the middle order, so Saim Ayub should be tested in the middle order. You don’t need circles to hit maximum as fours and sixes are a proper cricket bat.
“The preconceived notion that a person will only open the door or not, and everything else will adjust around it, wrong.”
In an interview with private news channel, Saim said that he would not think of any personal moves ahead of time but would win the match for Pakistan.
“My goal is not fifty or hundred, Man of match. I don’t know anything about numbers because I aim to win games for my team. It could be any number, 50, 70 or 100, but I don’t think I’m aiming for to win this game,” he said.
Saim also revealed the famous ‘invisible’ picture.
“I couldn’t find a scoring option, and when I saw him on good legs in the circle, I played it. “I didn’t mean to look shot, it happens automatically,” he said.
I try to play other shots more often and only play blind when I have to,” he said.
