Under-scrutinized Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali pointed a finger at biased treatment of the Pakistan Cricket Board against other players. In a recent episode, Hasan questioned why PCB had sent star batter Saim Ayub to London for treatment when, for example, during his previous stints of injuries he received little help. Saim has been out from the South Africa tour last month and is not set to play in the forthcoming Champions Trophy. He sustained a fracture of the right ankle and is being rehabilitated in London.
“Saim is injured. He is your player. Was I not part of the team in 2020? If any other player gets injured, he is not part of the team? Does he play for India?” Hasan stated on the podcast ‘Ultra Edge’.
But Hasan wished Saim to be back in action soon while recommending that if he happened to get injured again, the PCB might not provide him with that privilege.
“Saim Ayub is getting the VVIP treatment. If some other player is injured tomorrow, will he be given such a treatment? No, he won’t. So, what have you done here? May God give him full recovery and health, and he may provide many match wins for Pakistan. But all that rises have a decline. If Saim Ayub gets injured again will they treat him the same? No, they won’t,” he added.
Recently, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting lavished praise on Ayub and described him as “high-quality.”
Saim Ayub is a very good player, and his absence is a big hole to fill,” Ponting ICC quoted.
Ponting also praised the pace attack of Pakistan. He termed the showings of Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah “terrific” in the ongoing ODI Tri Series.
“But they have a very, very good fast bowling brigade led by Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, who have been terrific in recent series, with speed and skill to bother any batting line-up. Babar has been a little up and down in recent years; if he and Rizwan can bring their A-game, that is when Pakistan becomes dangerous,” he said.
