Imran Nazir calls for stronger bench strength in Pakistan's T20 squad

Former Pakistani cricketer Imran Nazir shared his thoughts on young opener Saim Ayub's performance in his first T20 World Cup match against Canada on June 11. The match, held at the Nassau County International Stadium in New York, saw Pakistan clinch their first win of the tournament.

When asked about Ayub's inclusion, Nazir emphasized the importance of having a well-prepared squad with strong bench strength.

"First of all, we should have prepared a squad that possesses bench strength because we do not have such players. When a particular player performs well at some point, the team should capitalize on that by including that player in the playing XI of the match. There are some players who have been given opportunities but didn’t perform well. I would like to ask why the players are not motivated; they should be motivated to do well," Nazir said.

Speaking specifically about Saim Ayub, Nazir highlighted the challenges faced by new players in high-pressure situations like the World Cup.

"Talking about Saim Ayub, he’s a new player and expecting 40 or 50 runs would not be fair to him, especially in a World Cup which itself is so stressful and when the team is performing so poorly. Anyways, that decision was not too bad. The good thing is that Pakistan has at least won one match of the tournament," he said.

Pakistan bounced back from consecutive defeats in the T20 World Cup 2024 with a convincing seven-wicket victory over Canada at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.

After faltering against the United States (USA) and India in their initial matches, Pakistan showcased a determined performance to secure a much-needed win against Canada.