Pakistan released Saim Ayub from their ODI tri-series squad on 26 October after he failed to reach double figures in three innings, the ICC reported. Sahibzada Farhan was named as his replacement for the remainder of the competition against England and Sri Lanka.
Why Pakistan made the batting change
The ICC's 26 October report reproduces a Pakistan Cricket Board statement explaining that Ayub requested a return to domestic cricket after speaking with head coach Mike Hesson. The board said he wanted to work on his batting form and regain confidence. Team management and the national selection committee agreed to the request, making this an agreed change rather than an unannounced omission from the squad.
Ayub's run of scores below double figures came while Pakistan were winning. The same ICC report says the side had already qualified for the tri-series final with three consecutive victories. His departure therefore affects the players available for the remaining fixtures, without changing Pakistan's confirmed place in the final.
Farhan has been added to the ODI squad for the rest of the event. The ICC's updated list names Shaheen Afridi as captain and includes Farhan among the batting options; Ayub is absent from that list. The announcement names a squad replacement, rather than a starting XI for the Sri Lanka fixture.
What the two squad lists show
SportsRivo reviewed ICC’s 5 October announcement and its update on 26 October. Ayub was originally named in the ODI squad, and Farhan was named in the T20I squad as captain. The updated ODI squad also includes Farhan, and Ayub is no longer considered. This means Farhan has been named to play in a different format of the same home series rather than given a T20I appointment and/or a starting position.
The earlier ICC announcement named Afridi as Pakistan's ODI captain for the tri-series and described the competition as a home event involving England and Sri Lanka. Farhan's previous leadership role belonged to the T20I series against Sri Lanka. The distinction matters because the replacement adds him to Afridi's ODI group; it does not transfer the ODI captaincy.
What changes for Pakistan
- Ayub is out of Pakistan's squad for the remaining ODI tri-series matches after his request to return to domestic cricket was accepted, according to the ICC's 26 October account of the PCB statement.
- Farhan joins the ODI group after being listed only in the original T20I squad. His selection gives Pakistan another named batting option, but the squad list alone does not establish whether he will start.
- Pakistan retain their place in the final after three successive wins, the ICC reported on 26 October. The replacement affects selection for the remaining fixtures, not qualification already earned.
Next matches in Lahore
On 26 October, the ICC’s report noted the Pakistan- Sri Lanka match at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore is scheduled for 27 October. The ICC’s original schedule has the final of the tournament at the same venue on 31 October. Farhan is part of the squad for the remaining matches, and the announcement did not name a starting eleven.
Source: International Cricket Council