Former Pakistan batter Ahmed Shahzad has criticised all-rounder Saim Ayub for his baby-cradle celebration after dismissing India’s 15-year-old opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during the men’s cricket final at the Asian Games 2026. Ayub dismissed the dangerous looking Sooryavanshi in the third over as the left-hander shaped to play a reverse sweep.
Shahzad questioned the need for such a gesture against a teenage opposition player and said Pakistan needed to show greater fight and responsibility in high-pressure matches.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Shahzad took aim at Ayub’s celebration after the latter claimed the crucial wicket early in India’s innings. The former Pakistan opener questioned why Ayub chose to perform a baby-cradle send-off against Sooryavanshi, who was playing at the Asian Games at just 15 years of age.
“You guys are the ones who made this. You should be doing this, or the world should be doing this. The way the world has made you a kid, India has made you a kid in cricket,” Shahzad said.
Shahzad also questioned Ayub’s overall contribution with both bat and ball, while expressing disappointment with Pakistan’s repeated struggles against India in high-pressure encounters.
“You lost your fourth or fifth match to them. You don’t show your fight, you don’t finish your action. What did you do? Neither does Saim Ayub know how to bat, nor does he know how to bowl well,” he added.
Saim Ayub was also guilty of dropping two catches during the match, including the one of Abhishek Sharma. Sharma in turn smacked a 28-ball 61, winning the player of the match award.
“Catches are important. You dropped Abhishek Sharma’s catch and gave him a chance. You made the whole of Pakistan bow down. You lost. If you got the chance, you should perform and execute,” Shahzad concluded.
