PCB announces playing XI for first Zimbabwe T20I

Pakistan and Zimbabwe will lock horns once again in the upcoming T20I series which is scheduled to begin from December 1 to 5 at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today announced the playing XI, which will be led by Salman Ali Agha, for the first T20I. 

The playing XI features young and strong players including Saim Ayub, Omair Bin Yousuf, Usman Khan (wicket-keeper) Tayyab Tahir, Muhammad Irfan Khan and Jahandad Khan.

The bowling side features Muhammad Abbas Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed and Sufyan Moqim.

Earlier, skipper Agha said that the team's first priority is to win the series. "We won the one-day series, now our target is to win the T20I series," he stressed.

"We have to give young players maximum opportunity in this series," said the captain while speaking during a press conference in Bulawayo today.

Agha said that there will be new faces in the T20I series, adding that the team will maintain its momentum in the shortest format of the game. "We will try to play aggressively."

The captain said that the T20I squad has good bowlers. He added that he wants the youngsters to play and enjoy the game, stressing that the young players have performed well in the domestic cricket and they should be given a chance.

Talking about the opponents, Agha said Zimbabwe is a good team with match winners, but the team will try to control them. "The Zimbabwean team has proven to be tough on home ground," he added.

On Thursday, the Men in Green inflicted a 99 runs defeat on Zimbabwe in the third One Day International to win the series by 2-1.

Kamran Ghulam's maiden century, followed by a combined bowling effort, steered Pakistan to a resounding victory over Zimbabwe in the ODI series decider.