Saim Ayub reveals story behind his transition as all-rounder

Pakistan’s rising star Saim Ayub has traced his evolution from a specialist top-order batter to an all-rounder back to his time in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) with Peshawar Zalmi.

Ayub first announced himself on the national radar during PSL 2023, when he enjoyed a breakout season with the 2017 champions.

Operating primarily as a batter, the left-hander amassed 341 runs in 12 innings at an average of 28.41 and an impressive strike rate of 165.53, performances that fast-tracked his entry into Pakistan’s senior men’s team.

However, it was the following PSL season that marked a defining shift in Ayub’s career trajectory.

No longer limited to batting duties, the 23-year-old emerged as a genuine utility player for Zalmi, contributing decisively with the ball. He claimed eight wickets in nine innings at an outstanding average of 22.37.

Ayub’s growing confidence and skill with the ball earned him extended opportunities at the international level, where he has since developed into a dependable all-round option for Pakistan across formats.

To date, he has taken 34 international wickets, underlining his growing value beyond his batting credentials.

His most notable success has come in T20I, where he has picked up 21 wickets in 28 innings, maintaining an impressive average of 24.33 and an economy rate of just 6.90.

Those numbers propelled him to the top of the ICC T20I all-rounder rankings in October last year, overtaking India’s Hardik Pandya.

Currently featuring for Sylhet Titans in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025–26, Saim Ayub reflected on his remarkable transition in an exclusive interview with an international cricket news website.

The young all-rounder credited both his PSL exposure and the faith shown by coaches at domestic and international levels.

“I used to do a little bit of bowling in club cricket as well, but since the PSL happened, Peshawar helped me a lot,” Ayub said.

“And then when I came into the Pakistan team, they showed belief in me and did a lot of technical and tactical work with me.”

Ayub admitted that even he did not foresee such rapid improvement in his bowling output at the highest level.

“To be honest, I was not expecting that I would see such good bowling figures,” he said. “But the credit goes to the coaches who worked so much, and I also put in full effort. If I can help the team, then why not?”

The spinner reserved special praise for Pakistan’s current bowling coach, Ashley Noffke, describing the Australian as instrumental in refining his bowling craft.

“The bowling coach we currently have in the Pakistan team has worked a lot on our bowling and has helped me a great deal,” Ayub said. “He’s Australian, and he’s a really good coach. I’ve learned a lot because of his bowling input.”