Overview
- The Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed on Monday that Saim Ayub asked to be released from the ongoing ODI tri‑series after discussing his poor form with head coach Mike Hesson.
- Ayub scored a combined 21 runs in three tri‑series innings before his release and the PCB said team management and the national selection committee accepted his request.
- The selection committee named Sahibzada Farhan as Ayub’s replacement and sources said Farhan will leave the Nepal Premier League in Kathmandu and join the squad on the next available flight.
- Pakistan remain unbeaten and have already qualified for the tri‑series final, so the change carries little immediate competitive risk but raises questions about the timing and readiness of domestic fixtures.
- Social media claims that the move was linked to a reported $25,000 NOC fee are unproven, and selectors say the decision reflects a wider approach of using the tri‑series to test players and manage workloads ahead of the next World Cup cycle.