Saim Ayub Dropped? Major Playing XI Changes Pakistan Could Make For 3rd T20I vs BAN

Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan [Source: @WisdenCricket, @RealSahibzada/X]

On Tuesday, Pakistan suffered a heartbreaking series defeat as Bangladesh outclassed them by eight runs in the second T20I. After posting 133 runs on a tricky surface, Bangladesh bowled Pakistan out for 125 runs, registering a historic series victory over their South-Asian rivals. 

This defeat came as an absolute shock for Pakistan, who were let down by poor returns from several key players. Given they have nothing to lose from hereon, the Men in Green would be desperate to bounce back and conclude the tour on a high note. 

Ahead of the final dead-rubber, let's see what could be Pakistan's probable team changes for the clash in Dhaka. 

Saim Ayub Out, Sahibzada Farhan In?

(Saim Ayub's stats in Bangladesh T20Is)

• Swashbuckling Pakistani opener Saim Ayub hasn't had a great time with the bat in this series. Ayub, who managed only six runs in the first T20I, was run out for one in the subsequent affair. 
• More importantly, Saim's recent T20I performances haven't been up to the mark. In his last five innings, the southpaw has struck just 56 runs at a horrendous average of 11.2. 
• So, given they have already lost the series, Pakistan might consider benching Ayub for the last game and bring Sahibzada Farhan into their playing XI. The right-handed batter was in sublime touch during the PSL 2025, amassing 449 runs at a stupendous average of 37.41 and a strike rate of 152.20. 
• He also struck a belligerent fifty the last time when he played a T20I series, coincidentally against Bangladesh. This move will make sense, enabling Pakistan to rotate their openers in a bid to form a stable top-order before the T20 World Cup next year. 

Hasan Nawaz Out, Hussain Talat In?

• Explosive batter Hasan Nawaz has been a pale shadow of himself in the ongoing T20I series against Bangladesh. The right-hander has played ten deliveries, failing to open his account across both matches. 
• Nawaz's technical limitations have been exploited by the Bangladesh pacers, who have troubled him consistently on Dhaka's challenging pitch. So, as he has struggled to get going, the visitors might replace him with a more reliable batter like Hussain Talat. 
• Hussain Talat had an impressive PSL 2025 campaign, managing 205 runs at an average of 41 and a strike rate of 134.86. Interestingly, Talat can also chip in with a few overs, thereby ensuring flexibility in the Pakistan lineup. 

Pakistan's Probable Playing XI For 3rd T20I vs Bangladesh

Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Haris (WK), Agha Salman (C), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Abbas Afridi, Ahmed Daniyal, Salman Mirza

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