'Hard to beat': Ricky Ponting showers praise on Saim Ayub

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has heaped praise on Pakistan's opener Saim Ayub, saying the Salman Ali Agha-led side could become "hard to beat" if the left-hander delivers strong performances in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Pakistan will face New Zealand in the opening match of the mega event’s Super Eight stage today (Saturday) at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.

During a recent discussion, Ponting compared Ayub to South African sensation Dewald Brevis, describing the 23-year-old as a "beautiful left-hander".

“He is [Saim Ayub], I think, a youthful talent who is a bit like Dewald Brevis. If he can put a couple of good performances on the board, then Pakistan becomes hard to beat,” Ponting said.

"…I just love watching him play. I just think he's got so much talent. A beautiful left-hander who plays shots all around the ground."

Ayub has struggled with the bat in the ongoing tournament, registering modest scores during the group stage, though he has claimed five wickets so far.

Against the Netherlands, he scored 24 runs and took 2/7 with the ball. In the second match against the USA, he made 19 runs but went wicketless, while in the high-profile clash against India, he managed six runs and picked up 3/25.

His final group-stage outing against Namibia saw him contribute 14 runs without taking a wicket.

Despite these challenges, Ayub has shown glimpses of his all-round ability in T20Is this year. In his last nine matches, he has scored 142 runs and taken eight wickets, highlighting his potential to influence games with both bat and ball.

For the unversed, Pakistan finished second in Group A, winning three of their four matches, with their only defeat coming against India by 61 runs.

In the Super Eights, they are placed in Group 2 alongside co-hosts Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and England.

Pakistan’s remaining Super Eight matches are scheduled against England on February 24 and Sri Lanka on February 28, both in Colombo.