The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to include opener Saim Ayub in the provisional squad for the Champions Trophy, which is set to begin next month. Saim is currently recovering from a right ankle injury.
Although the PCB has not officially disclosed the squad, it is reported to include many of Pakistan’s top stars such as Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Nasim Shah, Fakhar Zaman, and Shadab Khan.
The selectors have chosen to include Saim in the squad, even if he may not fully recover in time for the tournament, as he can be replaced by another player if needed, an insider told PTI.
The preliminary squad can be modified until February 13.
Saim is currently in London, with his expenses being covered by the PCB, awaiting the final reports from two highly regarded orthopaedic sports surgeons who have examined his injury.
“The reason for Saim still remaining in London is if the doctors recommend, he can do his rehabilitation with them there and the doctors can also keep a close watch on his progress.
“But if the doctors inform the board this week, on the basis of the final test results, that he can rehabilitate in Lahore, Saim will return to the High Performance Centre here,” the insider said.
Assistant coach Azhar Mahmood and the team physio, who accompanied Saim to London, have now joined the Pakistan team in Multan in preparation for the first Test against the West Indies, starting on January 17.
The selectors are hopeful that the young left-handed batsman will recover from his injury in time for the Champions Trophy, as he has proven to be one of the most consistent and improved ODI batsmen in recent times.
His two centuries in the three-match ODI series in South Africa highlighted his growing reputation as a fluent and quick-scoring opener.
