Asia Cup 2025: Saim Ayub Sets This Unwanted Record
By Parth Dhall | Sep 29, 2025 | 05:19 pm
Pakistan opener Saim Ayub endured a challenging run in the recently concluded Men’s T20 Asia Cup. Despite being one of the most talented openers in the team, Ayub struggled with the bat throughout the tournament, managing an average of just 5.28.
According to Cricbuzz, this marks the second-lowest batting average for a top-order batter (positions 1 to 3) in a T20I series involving Full Member nations. His poor form included four ducks over seven innings, severely impacting Pakistan’s top order.
Underperformance: Second-Lowest Average by a Top-Order Player
Ayub scored only 37 runs in seven innings, averaging 5.28, which is an alarmingly low figure for a player of his caliber. The only top-order batter with a worse T20I series average is Zimbabwe’s Regis Chakabva, who averaged 5 during the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup.
Performance Breakdown: A Tough Asia Cup for Ayub
During the 2025 Asia Cup, Ayub’s form rapidly declined. He started the tournament opening the innings but was later moved down the batting order due to his struggles. Unfortunately, the change did little to improve his performance.
He recorded three consecutive ducks against Oman, India, and the UAE, followed by another duck versus Bangladesh. His only notable contributions came with scores of 21 and 14 in two matches against India.
Effective with the Ball
While his batting was disappointing, Ayub showed his worth as a bowler. The off-spinner took eight wickets in seven matches, maintaining an impressive average of 16.00 and an economy rate of 6.40 during the tournament.
Career Overview
Since making his T20I debut in 2023, Saim Ayub has played 48 matches, accumulating 853 runs at an average of 19.38. His strike rate in T20Is stands at 134.11, and he has scored four half-centuries so far.
Despite the setback in the Asia Cup 2025, Ayub remains a promising talent in Pakistan’s cricketing roster, with his all-round abilities offering value to the team.
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