Asia Cup: Former Captain Defends Saim Ayub After String of Ducks, Predicts 'Explosion'

NEW DELHI: Pakistan set up another high-stakes clash with arch-rivals India in the Asia Cup after a 41-run win over the United Arab Emirates in Dubai on Wednesday. But amid the victory and the off-field dramas, all eyes were on young opener Saim Ayub, whose poor run with the bat continued.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The 23-year-old left-hander registered his third straight duck of the tournament — following scores of 0 against Oman and India — when he was dismissed cheaply again against the UAE. While Pakistan’s bowlers and Fakhar Zaman’s 50 off 36 balls bailed the team out, questions are mounting over Saim’s place in the XI.Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif, however, urged patience and defended the youngster, highlighting that Saim has been contributing with the ball. “Kabhi kabaar aisa hota hai, banda oont pad baitha hai aur kutta kaat jata hai, uske saath yahi ho raha hai [Sometimes it happened, the guy is sitting on camel and dog bites him anyhow],” Latif remarked, using a colourful metaphor to describe the batter’s lean patch.“Woh kaha par catch hokar out ho gaya... kabhi yu maara toh out ho gaya, kabhi aise mara toh out ho gaya. Bura time aata hai sabka. Yeh bowling se apne team me khel raha hai. Bade match me kissi me fodega. ya toh phoot jaega ya phod dega [He is getting out playing different shots. Bad phases come for everyone. He is in the team for his bowling currently. But he will explode in big games],” he added, predicting that Saim will either fail spectacularly or come good in a big game.Saim’s right-arm spin has already fetched six wickets in three games — 2/8 vs Oman, 3/35 vs India, and 1/18 vs UAE — a key reason behind his retention despite batting failures.With Pakistan and India both securing qualification from Group A, fans will not have to wait long to see if Latif’s prophecy comes true, as the arch-rivals clash again in Dubai on Sunday.