“Reincarnation of Saeed Anwar:” Cricket icons, fans heap praises on Saim Ayub

Praise poured in for 22-year-old opening batter Saim Ayub after his sensational performances in the three-match ODI series against South Africa. Ayub's masterful stroke play and centuries were instrumental in Pakistan's historic series victory, leading many to draw comparisons between his brilliance and that of Pakistan’s legendary opener Saeed Anwar.

Pakistan achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the first team in the 21st century to secure an ODI series win against South Africa on their home turf. The Green Shirts delivered an all-round performance, excelling in both batting and bowling to outclass the Proteas.

The gifted youngster scored two centuries in the three-match series, was named Man of the Match in the final game, and was also awarded the Man of the Series award.

During the first match of the series, Saim Ayub became the youngest player to score a century against South Africa, achieving the milestone with a brilliant 109 off 119 balls while chasing a target of 240 runs.

At 22 years and 207 days, he surpassed legendary West Indies cricketer Brian Lara, who previously held the record for the youngest centurion against South Africa at 23 years and 297 days in 1993.

Saim Ayub also left behind South African wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock, who reached this milestone at 23 years and 48 days in 2016.

Overall, Saim became the third-youngest player to score a century against South Africa in ODI cricket. 

Ayub’s fearless batting proved to be a game-changer for Pakistan. Displaying remarkable ease and skill, he tackled the fiery pace and precision of bowlers like Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Gerald Coetzee, cementing his place as a rising star in international cricket.

Saim Ayub’s exceptional form became the highlight of the series, with fans and analysts likening his elegant and impactful batting style to Saeed Anwar’s.

Anwar, who made his debut for Pakistan in 1990, was a prolific opener, amassing over 4,000 runs in 55 Test matches at an average of 45 and over 8,000 runs in 247 ODIs at an average of 39.

Here's what cricket enthusiasts had to say about Saim's incredible performance: