Saim Ayub And...? 3 Pakistan Players Who Can Replace Babar Azam As T20I Opener

Debashis Sarangi

Saim Ayub could replace Babar as opener [Source: AP]Saim Ayub could replace Babar as opener [Source: AP]

On Tuesday, Pakistan had a torrid start to the South Africa tour, losing the first T20I against the host nation in Durban. Batting first, South Africa powered themselves to a defendable total of 183 runs before George Linde's exceptional four-wicket haul propelled them to victory. 

Pakistan's prominent batter Babar Azam sustained his rough patch in international cricket, being dismissed for a duck by South Africa's young pace sensation Kwena Maphaka. The batter played three dot balls before the left-arm seamer got rid of him in the third over. 

This was Babar's seventh T20I duck, and the batter has struggled a lot in T20Is of late. In his last ten T20I innings, Babar Azam has managed only 237 runs at an ordinary average of 26.34 and a poor strike rate of 115.60. 

Although it seems Pakistan will give him a couple of more chances before taking a final call on his T20I future, the star batter might be sidelined from the shortest format if he doesn't perform in the remainder of this series. 

So, as questions are being raised on Babar's place in Pakistan's T20I setup, here are three batters who can replace him if he gets dropped after the current tour. 

Saim Ayub

  • Considering Mohammad Rizwan plays as an opener, Babar Azam's inclusion at the top order has resulted in Saim Ayub's demotion to number three. Thus, practically, Saim has been made to bat out of position to accommodate Babar in the opener's slot. 
  • Therefore, if Babar gets sidelined, Saim should be given the first priority to open the innings. He is a flamboyant stroke player and has amassed 2199 runs at an impressive strike rate of 142.23 in the shortest format. 
  • So, he will be an upgrade over Babar in terms of scoring rate and can provide Pakistan with blistering starts in the powerplay. 

Usman Khan

  • Pakistan's young top-order batter Usman Khan has had a poor start to his T20I career, scoring only 229 runs in fifteen innings. However, he has been a consistent performer in the Pakistan Super League, showcasing his batting attributes in white-ball cricket. 
  • Although Pakistan have mostly used him at number three and four, Usman has excellent numbers as an opener in the PSL, scoring 316 runs at an average of 35.11 and a strike rate of 158. 
  • So, if Babar gets dropped, Pakistan should allow Usman to open the innings and take advantage of the powerplay field restrictions.

Mohammad Haris

  • Mohammad Haris is an aggressive top-order batter who can make full use of the powerplay. He is a clean striker of the ball and can provide Pakistan with a blistering start. 
  • Although he has some technical limitations against movement, Pakistan should consider bringing him back to their T20I team, as his aggressive game will allow Mohammad Rizwan to anchor the innings at his own pace. 
  • Haris has been a regular face in various T20 leagues around the world. In PSL, he has amassed 353 runs at an average of 29.41 and a blistering strike rate of 186.77 as an opener. So, it's high time for Pakistan to acknowledge his power-hitting and give him a consistent run in the shortest format.