Overview
- The Pakistan Cricket Board approved Saim Ayub’s request to leave the ongoing ODI tri-series after a discussion with head coach Mike Hesson so he can return to domestic cricket to regain confidence.
- Ayub had managed just 21 runs across his last three tri-series innings, a run of low scores that the management cited when accepting his self-assessment.
- The national selection committee named Sahibzada Farhan as Ayub’s replacement for the remainder of the tournament.
- Farhan is currently playing in the Nepal Premier League and is expected to fly back to Pakistan on the first available flight to join the squad ahead of the final at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
- The PCB described the change as mutual and development-focused, balancing Pakistan’s immediate needs in the final against the long‑term aim of restoring Ayub’s form in domestic competition.