Saim Ayub dethrones Hardik Pandya from top spot despite flop show in Asia Cup

Originally posted on Crictoday | By V.M.Suriya Narayanan | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 1:00 PM ET

Saim Ayub, a part-time off-spinner and opener of Pakistan, has unexpectedly risen to the top of the ICC T20I rankings for men’s all-rounders. Saim took the No. 1 spot from Hardik Pandya in the most recent update, which came out on Wednesday, October 1.

In the shortest format of the game, the 23-year-old has risen four positions to occupy the top slot among all-rounders, with a total of 241 rating points, eight more than Pandya.

This surprise rise comes after Saim bowled well in the Asia Cup. He got eight wickets in seven games, and his economy rate was a remarkable 6.40 runs per over. He scored 37 runs in the Continental Cup.

Saim registered four ducks in the Asia Cup, including one against India. During the final, he made a promising start but was dismissed for 14. His dismissal led to a collapse, with Pakistan losing their last nine wickets for just 33 runs against India.

Saim’s current batting form is concerning. He has scored more than 20 runs in just one of his last ten T20Is. While he has established himself as a reliable off-spinner, his batting has significantly declined since his return from the injury.

Saim Ayub was recently omitted from the Test squad for the upcoming home series against South Africa. There has been speculation that this decision is linked to his poor batting form in T20Is.

This article first appeared on Crictoday and was syndicated with permission.

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