On Friday, Zimbabwe will become the first Test playing country to play against Pakistan on their own soil for six years.
No top-level international cricket has taken place in the Asian nation since the bus carrying the Sri Lanka team to a match in Lahore in 2009 was attacked by gunman. Seven of the Sri Lankan players were injured, and six policemen along with the bus driver died in the outrage. Zimbabwe’s tour will consist of two T20Is and three ODIs.
However, due to ongoing concerns surrounding security inside the country, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has declined to send any of their match officials to officiate in the limited overs series. Local officials will instead be appointed, with the blessing of the ICC.
Pakistan have only recently returned from a tour to their neighbours, Bangladesh, in which they were beaten 0-3 in the ODIs and defeated in the sole T20I, although they did recover to dominate the two Test matches, and secure some consolation with a 1-0 success in that format.
The selectors have recalled all rounder Shoaib Malik and fast bowler Mohammad Sami to the squad, along with two 19 year olds, opener Nauman Anwar and Imad Wasim who is a former U19 captain.
A few eyebrows have been raised at the inclusion of Sami, who last represented his country in June 2012 in Sri Lanka, although last week in Faisalabad, he claimed six wickets in three games of the Super8 T20 tournament.
Selection has been affected by unavailability through injury of a number of players. Both Sohaib Maqsood and Sohail Khan were declared as being unfit, while Saeed Ajmal, who had proved particular ineffective in Bangladesh is dropped.
Umar Akmal, who was omitted from the Bangladesh tour for a number of reasons relating to the trip to Australia for the ICC World Cup, returns to the squad, after posting scores of 35,1 95 not out and 85 not out in the Super8s.