'Saim Ayub is not a kid' - Kamran Akmal criticises Pakistan star for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi send-off
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has called out Saim Ayub for giving a baby cradle send-off to 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during the Asian Games 2026 men's cricket final.
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Saim Ayub dismissed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the third over of the Asian Games 2026 men's cricket final at Kōrogi Sports Park, Nisshin, on Saturday, October 3. The 15-year-old Indian batter scored 15 runs off 9 deliveries before playing a reverse sweep that resulted in a top edge, caught by Usman Khan. After the dismissal, Ayub gave a baby cradle send-off to Sooryavanshi, who quietly walked back towards the Indian dugout without responding.
The gesture drew swift backlash on social media, with Indian fans expressing their discontent at Ayub's conduct towards the young batter. Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal criticised Ayub's behaviour during the match.
"Did you see that action? How unfortunate is that? You are playing such good cricket. You are giving India competition after such a long time. These things don't look good," Akmal said on Gameplan YouTube show.
Akmal went on to highlight the broader concerns about Pakistan cricket's approach to international matches. The former wicketkeeper stressed that such conduct undermines the team's efforts and sends the wrong message about professional standards in the sport.
"These things have been happening for a long time. Our performance hasn't been great, but we are doing things for social media. The management should think about this. It's international cricket," Akmal said.
"No matter whether he is 13, 14 or 15, he's playing international cricket. Saim Ayub is not a kid. He should focus on his performances," he added.
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Akmal then directly addressed Ayub's maturity and focus as a player. He emphasised that age should not be an excuse for unprofessional behaviour on the cricket field, regardless of the opponent's experience level.
India won the final by 19 runs after posting 211 for 6 in 20 overs, with half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma. Ayub's dismissal of Sooryavanshi proved to be his only wicket of the match. He conceded 47 runs across 4 overs, dropped two catches and scored 22 off 29 deliveries with the bat. The send-off incident overshadowed what was otherwise a competitive performance from the Pakistan player in a high-pressure final.
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