Father: Ayub Ahmed, Uncle: Mohammad Javed, Brother: Moiz Ayub
Saim Ayub is a young left-handed batter from Karachi who has evolved into one of Pakistan’s most exciting power-hitting prospects. The 24-year-old made his PSL debut in 2021 as a stodgy opener for Quetta Gladiators, showing little of the destructive ability he would later develop. However, an explosive National T20 Cup campaign showcased a deliberate change in his intent, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer with a strike rate far ahead of any other batter. This earned him a second chance at the PSL with Peshawar Zalmi, where he finished among the highest run-scorers in both 2023 and 2024 with strike rates exceeding 165 and 157 respectively. His ability to get Zalmi off to flyers alongside the more sedate Babar Azam made him a valuable asset. While his international career has been a mixed bag—earnings in T20 leagues around the world including the CPL and BPL—he struggled to replicate his franchise form for Pakistan, leading to him being dropped ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup after a litany of low scores. A surprise Test debut in Sydney in early 2024 proved forgettable, but Ayub’s raw talent and power-hitting ability ensure he remains a player of immense potential.
| Batting & Fielding | |||||||||||||
| Format | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct |
| Tests | 8 | 14 | 0 | 364 | 77 | 26.00 | 657 | 55.40 | 0 | 3 | 38 | 4 | 4 |
| ODIs | 17 | 17 | 1 | 751 | 113* | 46.93 | 751 | 100.00 | 3 | 3 | 88 | 21 | 13 |
| T20Is | 67 | 64 | 3 | 1298 | 98* | 21.27 | 955 | 135.91 | 0 | 6 | 136 | 59 | 27 |
| FC | 25 | 45 | 3 | 1608 | 203 | 38.28 | 2417 | 66.52 | 3 | 8 | 201 | 19 | 15 |
| List A | 52 | 52 | 1 | 2223 | 179 | 43.58 | 2131 | 104.31 | 7 | 10 | 258 | 63 | 36 |
| T20s | 159 | 155 | 7 | 3683 | 98* | 24.88 | 2668 | 138.04 | 0 | 22 | 370 | 174 | 64 |
| Bowling | |||||||||||||
| Format | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
| Tests | 8 | 4 | 148 | 138 | 4 | 2/101 | 2/101 | 34.50 | 5.59 | 37.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ODIs | 17 | 14 | 445 | 374 | 9 | 2/29 | 2/29 | 41.55 | 5.04 | 49.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T20Is | 67 | 35 | 540 | 646 | 29 | 3/25 | 3/25 | 22.27 | 7.17 | 18.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FC | 25 | 21 | 436 | 301 | 6 | 2/101 | 2/101 | 50.16 | 4.14 | 72.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| List A | 52 | 35 | 918 | 855 | 24 | 5/24 | 5/24 | 35.62 | 5.58 | 38.2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| T20s | 159 | 83 | 1253 | 1607 | 60 | 3/25 | 3/25 | 26.78 | 7.69 | 20.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
He is a left-handed top-order batter known for his aggressive power-hitting and ability to provide explosive starts.
He made his Test debut for Pakistan in Sydney in early 2024, though his international appearances have primarily been in white-ball cricket.
He finished among the highest run-scorers for Peshawar Zalmi in 2023 and 2024, with strike rates of 165.53 and 157.53 respectively.
He has represented Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League.
An explosive National T20 Cup campaign saw him finish as the second-highest run-scorer with a strike rate far ahead of any other batter, earning him opportunities in the BPL and another shot at the PSL.
He has represented Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Durdanto Dhaka, Sylhet Titans, and various other T20 franchises.
He struggled to replicate his franchise form for Pakistan and was dropped ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup after a series of low scores.
He bowls right-arm off-break and also has a legbreak googly variation, adding to his value as an allrounder.
