Saim Ayub Out, Fakhar Zaman To Open? Pakistan’s Likely Playing XI Against India | Cricket News

Saim Ayub is one of the most promising cricketers from Pakistan, but in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025, the left-handed top-order batter has failed to open his account in the three matches played so far. He got out for golden ducks against Oman and India, and in his team’s last Group A match played against UAE on Wednesday, September 17, in Dubai, he got out for a two-ball duck. Due to his poor form with the bat in the ongoing premier continental event, Pakistan team management could drop him from the playing XI for the high-voltage Super 4s match against India.

However, the possibility of that is not very bright because even if Saim has failed to fire with the bat, he has made his presence felt with bowling and in the last India-Pakistan match picked three wickets as well.

Pakistan are set to face India in their first Super 4s match of the Asia Cup 2025 on Sunday, September 21, at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. But if Pakistan drop Saim, then left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman could open the innings for the Men in Green along with Sahibzada Farhan.

Fakhar plays as an opening batter for Pakistan in ODIs, but in T20Is he is used by the team management in the middle order. In Pakistan’s last match against Oman, the left-handed batter scored 50 runs from 36 balls as a No. 3 batter.

In two of the three matches played so far in the Asia Cup 2025, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Haris and pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi have also impressed with their batting performances, and there is a high possibility of them getting a promotion in the batting order on Sunday.

Pakistan cricket team fans will also expect a good show from captain Salman Ali Agha and Hassan Nawaz. Both Agha and Hasan have failed to live up to the expectations in the tournament so far.

It will be interesting to see if Pakistan retain Khushdil Shah in the playing XI or replace him with all-rounder Faheem Ashraf or spinner Sufiyan Muqeem. Both Ashraf and Muqeem played in the Group A match against India last Sunday.

Haris Rauf, who is Pakistan’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is, played against Oman and picked up 2 wickets for 19 runs in 2.2 overs. The Rawalpindi-born cricketer will retain his place in the XI along with spinner Abrar Ahmed.

Pakistan’s likely playing XI against India: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris (WK), Salman Agha (C), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem

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