Pakistan call up Sahibzada Farhan to replace Saim Ayub for remainder of tri-series

Pakistan have replaced opener Saim Ayub with Sahibzada Farhan for the remainder of the ongoing ODI tri-series, which also includes England and Sri Lanka. A PCB media release says Ayub’s exclusion resulted from a conversation between the player and head coach Mike Hesson, in which Saim expressed his desire to return to domestic cricket to work on his batting form and regain confidence. The team management and the national selection committee mutually decided to consider his request.

2026 hasn’t been a fruitful batting year for the left-hander, who averages a mere 16.55 in 19 matches across all formats, including just one fifty-plus score against Australia during the T20 World Cup in February. In this tri-series so far, Saim scored only 21 runs across three matches.

The selectors ignored him for the ODI and Test series against Bangladesh, and also for the Australia ODIs that followed. Far from contention, Ayub shockingly returned to the Test squad for the third Test against England in Birmingham, where he opened and registered a pair in the final Test, which the visitors lost and conceded the Test series 3-0. His inclusion was part of an extraordinary overhaul that saw PCB send home seven first-squad players midway through the tour, including Salman Agha, keeper-batter Mohammed Rizwan and under-fire opener Imam-ul-Haq.

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Farhan’s inclusion at the top could change Pakistan’s top-order fortunes in this tri-series. The trio of Saim, Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam has failed to click in three matches played, averaging just over 15, with Pakistan’s top order’s overall average of 19.81 the lowest among all Test-playing nations this year.

ODI captain Shaheen Afridi also spoke about potential changes to the top order following Pakistan’s famous win against England in the recently concluded match in Lahore, which the hosts won by one wicket.

"Yeah, there might be [changes in the top order]," Afridi said at the post-match presentation. "We need some runs from the top order. We need that attacking game in the powerplay, and I hope we will bring that energy to the team."

Meanwhile, Pakistan have qualified for the tri-series final after winning all three contested matches so far.

Pakistan will face Sri Lanka in their final group game in Lahore on Tuesday (Oct 27).