ISLAMABAD: Peshawar Zalmi’s stylish left-hander, Saim Ayub, has named his dream T20I World XI — and intriguingly, it features just one fellow Pakistani.
Speaking on the Off Topic Zalmi podcast, the 21-year-old was tasked with selecting an XI made up of currently active players, with the added condition that no more than two cricketers could be picked from any one country.
Despite that flexibility, Saim opted for only one Pakistani player, naming opening batter Fakhar Zaman in his fantasy XI.
He partnered Fakhar with Australia’s explosive Travis Head at the top of the order, forming a formidable opening pair.
At number three, Saim went for England’s destructive wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler, followed by West Indies powerhouse Nicholas Pooran and South Africa’s hard-hitting Heinrich Klaasen, both renowned for their impact in the middle order.
High-pressure moments
England’s Ben Stokes was slotted in at number six, selected for his composure and knack for delivering in high-pressure moments.
Saim also placed his trust in some of the finest modern T20 all-rounders, picking India’s Hardik Pandya, Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, and New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner to anchor the middle overs with both bat and ball.
For his pace attack, he turned to two left-arm pace stars in the format — India’s Jasprit Bumrah and Australia’s Mitchell Starc.
Saim Ayub’s T20I World XI: Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan), Travis Head (Australia), Jos Buttler (England), Nicholas Pooran (West Indies), Heinrich Klaasen (South Africa), Ben Stokes (England), Hardik Pandya (India), Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Mitchell Santner (New Zealand), Jasprit Bumrah (India), Mitchell Starc (Australia).
