As the highly anticipated Asia Cup 2025 final between Pakistan and India looms at the Dubai International Stadium this Sunday, Pakistani politician Firdous Ashiq Awan of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party has delivered a scathing public critique of struggling batsman Saim Ayub.
Ayub’s performance throughout the tournament has been a major concern for the Pakistani side. He has notably failed to score in six matches, including an alarming four ducks. His scores include a duck against India in the group stage, a mere 21 runs in the Super Four, and subsequent scoreless outings against Oman, India again, UAE, and Bangladesh. This consistent lack of runs has raised serious questions about his ability to perform under the immense pressure of critical matches.
Firdous Ashiq Awan did not mince words when addressing the young batter:
“Saim Ayub, jo tumhare ander potential hai. Sardiyan nahi aye ki ande khane hain. Iske bahar niklo. Jo tumhara natural khel hai, wo khelo. Jo tum jis tarah khauf se shots maar ke out ho rahe ho, ye tumhara maiyaar nahi hai.”
Translated, her sharp words mean: “Saim Ayub, you possess significant potential. Don’t just sit around like it’s winter and you’re here to eat eggs (a metaphorical expression implying idleness). Break free from this. Play your natural game. The way you are getting dismissed by playing fearful shots is not up to your standard.”
She continued, pushing for a more assertive approach:
“Aggressive cricket khelo. Aur inko dhone ke baad out ho, to hume dhand pad jaegi. Lekin pehli ball pe jana, ye tumhari shaan ke khilaaf hai. Aur humari bhi beizzati hai, bete. Aap thoda pressure se bahar nikal ke aage aao.”
This translates to: “Play aggressive cricket. Even if you get out after taking calculated risks and attacking them, we would understand. But getting out on the first ball goes against your dignity and is also a disgrace to our team, son. You need to come out of this pressure and step forward with confidence.”
Saim Ayub in Asia Cup:
| Against Team | Score | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 0 | 25-Sep-2025 | Dubai (DICS) |
| Sri Lanka | 2 | 23-Sep-2025 | Abu Dhabi |
| India | 21 | 21-Sep-2025 | Dubai (DICS) |
| U.A.E. | 0 | 17-Sep-2025 | Dubai (DICS) |
| India | 0 | 14-Sep-2025 | Dubai (DICS) |
| Oman | 0 | 12-Sep-2025 | Dubai (DICS) |