Pakistan selectors have decided to add opening batsman Saim Ayub to the provisional squad for the Champions Trophy tournament next month, as he is concentrating on recovery from a sprained right ankle. The decision, however, has not officially been announced by the board, but PCB sources claim that most of the established stars-Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Nasim Shah, Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan-span the list. Insider sources say that Saim still made the list because, according to selectors, even if he cannot recover in time for the ICC event, the player could be changed till the last time.
The latest change can be made before February 13.
Saim is currently in London with the cost being borne by the PCB and the final analyses from two high-profile orthopaedic sports surgeons are awaited.
“The reason Saim remains in London is that if doctors suggest he do rehabilitation over there, he can do it with them there and doctors can also keep checking on his progress.
“But if, based on the latest test results, doctors tell PCB this week that they can instead send him to Lahore for rehabilitation, Saim will come back to the High Performance Centre here,” he said.
Assistant coach Azhar Mahmood and team physio, who had gone there with Saim, have already joined the Pakistan team in Multan for the first Test against West Indies starting from January 17.
According to these sources, the opener has lagged behind in his recovery and, up to the moment, it remains doubtful whether he will be fit for the Champions Trophy. Nonetheless, instead, the selectors are hoping that the most-advanced and complete ODI batsman would come back in time for the Champions Trophy.
His two centuries in the three-match ODI series in South Africa have helped him establish a growing reputation as a fluent and fast-scoring opener.
Comments are closed.