• Home
  • Who Said What
  • Saim Needs 3 Weeks Shahid Afridi Drops Hint On Ayubs Readiness For Champions Trophy

'Saim Needs 3 Weeks...': Shahid Afridi Drops Hint On Ayub's Readiness For Champions Trophy

Akshita Patel

Saim Ayub's injury update shared by Shahid Afridi [Source: @cric_blog, @_FaridKhan/X.com]Saim Ayub's injury update shared by Shahid Afridi [Source: @cric_blog, @_FaridKhan/X.com]

Pakistan cricket board (PCB) have delayed their squad announced for the Champions Trophy 2025 due to uncertainty over Saim Ayub. Shahid Afridi recently spilled beans on Ayub’s health and dropped a potential return timeline.

The young gem of Pakistan cricket, Saim Ayub, suffered a very serious injury in the Test series against South Africa. He twisted his ankle and had to be taken out of the field. He was spotted walking on crutches the following days.

According to the preliminary diagnosis, Ayub was ruled out for six weeks and sent to London for further treatment. PCB are closely monitoring his progress and are expected to take a call on his Champions Trophy availability soon.

Shahid Afridi advises Saim Ayub to take rest

Meanwhile, Shahid Afridi, former Pakistan legend, spoke to Cricket Pakistan and dropped a big update on Ayub’s recovery. He revealed that the young batter would need six weeks before hitting the rehab and that he had advised Saim against rushing his recovery.

"I spoke to Saim Ayub last night. He mentioned that he needs three weeks before starting rehab. I advised him to take his time recovering because even a minor injury, if not fully healed, can lead to long-term issues. You're young and have a bright future ahead, so it's better to recover completely," Afridi said.

PCB is yet to announce their squad for the Champions Trophy 2025 and time is running out. The tournament is scheduled to start from February 19 and Pakistan will take on New Zealand on opening day.

If Ayub misses out, Pakistan will have a steep task with the composition. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been out of form for a while now. Fakhar Zaman’s inclusion is also under the scanner after he picked a fight with the board.

Ayub clueless about his injury recovery timeline

Saim Ayub also spoke to Cricket Pakistan previously and was unsure about his recovery timeline. While the young batter is keeping his hopes alive, he urged the fans in his home country to wish for a speedy recovery. For now, Ayub remains in London under the care of PCB. If he ends up going to surgery, Ayub will be ruled out.