体坛英语新闻：Pakistan announces cricket team for T20 series against Zimbabwe

ISLAMABAD, May 19 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistan Cricket Board on Tuesday announced its team that will play the Twenty20 series against Zimbabwe in the country's eastern city of Lahore, officials said.

Chairman of the selection committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that Shahid Afridi has been retained as captain of the team that will play two T20 matches against the tourists on May 22 and 24 at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

Considering the team's losses against Bangladesh last month, the selection committee selected senior players, fast bowler Muhammad Sami, all-rounder Shoaib Malik and middle order batsman Umar Akmal in the team.

Two young players, Imad Wasim and Nauman Anwar, were also selected for the first time for their impressive performance in recent domestic tournament. However, world class spinner Saeed Ajmal and left-arm fast bowler Sohail Tanvir were ignored as they failed to present impressive show in recent matches.

Zimbabwe, that reached Pakistan on Tuesday morning, is the first Test playing team that arrived Pakistan to play international cricket after a gap of six years since the terrorist attack at the bus of the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in March 2009.

Following the 2009 terrorist attack, international cricket had been suspended in Pakistan as no big cricket nation was ready to send its team to Pakistan.

The PCB has faced huge financial losses as the Pakistan's national team has been playing its all home series on neutral venues in the other countries, especially in United Arab Emirates.

Zimbabwe and Pakistan will play three One-day International ( ODIs) and two Twenty20 matches.