Saim Ayub is out of the race; A talented middle-order batsman will replace him

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Pakistan opener Saim Ayub has been ruled out of the entire Champions Trophy 2025 as he failed to recover from his recent injury in time. He has been replaced by talented middle-order batsman Khushdil Shah.

While on the field, Ayub suffered an ankle injury during the Test series against Pakistan in South Africa. He was seen leaving the field in great pain and was immediately taken for a scan.

Ayub was sent to London by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) along with the team’s assistant coach Azhar Mahmood after the injury was deemed to be serious enough. The opening is currently available for rehab in London and will take a few weeks to resume training.

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Saim Ayub has been ruled out of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

According to Sama TV, Saim Ayub has been left out of Pakistan’s squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Ayub has not fully recovered from the ankle injury he sustained in Pakistan’s Test series against South Africa.

Given the extent of the damage, his selection for the tournament was always going to be a big challenge. While Pakistan’s squad is yet to be announced, reports have confirmed that Ayub has been ruled out of the tournament.

Ayub’s absence is a big blow to Pakistan’s chances of defending their crown at home. The men in green are the reigning champions, having last won the competition in 2017.

Khushdil Shah replaces Saim Ayub in Pakistan Champions Trophy squad

Talented left-arm batsman Khushdil Shah has been named as Ayub’s replacement in the Pakistan team, reports have confirmed. Khushdil is currently playing in the Bangladesh Premier League, where he is in fantastic form with the bat.

The left-armer has scored 288 runs in 9 matches at an average of 72 and a strike rate of 189.47 so far. Despite batting in the middle and lower order, he is currently the top run-getter for the team Rangpur Riders.

Khushdil Shah has shown great skills as a finisher in BPL 2025. The 29-year-old has a modest ODI record for Pakistan, scoring 199 runs in 10 matches at an average of 33.16 and a strike rate of 94.76.

Sam Ayub’s ODI numbers

Saim Ayub has been one of the best players for Pakistan in the last few months. The youngster emerged as a tri-format player in the team and played a key role in the team’s ODI series wins in Australia and South Africa.

The 22-year-old played 9 ODIs and scored 515 runs at an average of 64.37 and a strike rate of 105.53 with three hundred and one fifty. The youngster was looking forward to a domestic ICC tournament but unfortunately his dream ended.