HARARE: Pakistan take on Zimbabwe without key leg-spinner Yasir Shah in a two-Test series which starts in Harare on Thursday, but are ‘confident’ after beating South Africa earlier this year.

Yasir has been an integral part of Pakistan’s Test bowling attack since making his debut in 2014, only missing two tours — to Ireland for a single Test and a two-match visit to England — both in 2018.

Yasir, who has taken 235 wickets in 45 Tests, is absent with a knee injury.

The visitors will also be without frontline seamer Mohammad Abbas, now starring for Hampshire in English county cricket, who lost favour with selectors early this year.

The Babar Azam-led Pakistan will instead rely on the pace trio of Shaheen Shah Afridi (15 Tests), Hasan Ali (11) and Faheem Ashraf (eight), while Nauman Ali (two Tests) is the frontline spinner.

They also have leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood and off-spinner Sajid Khan to chose from, who both have not played a Test yet.

Hasan’s 10 wickets anchored a victory over South Africa in Pakistan’s last Test in Rawalpindi two months ago.

Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq believes his team can kick on from that 2-0 series win.

“Our confidence level is good after winning the home series against South Africa so we hope to carry that good performance,” Misbah said. “Yes, we don’t have Yasir but the back-up spinners, like Sajid and Zahid, are good and in the absence of Yasir they have a good opportunity to perform.”

Pakistan’s batting will revolve around veteran Azhar Ali, Babar, Fawad Alam and in-form wicket-keeper/batter Mohammad Rizwan.

Azhar is one of the two survivors from the last Test between the two sides in Harare seven years ago, when the hosts upset Pakistan by 24 runs to achieve a 1-1 series draw.

Pakistan still lead the teams’ head-to-head record with 10 wins in 17 bilateral Tests. Zimbabwe have won three, with four drawn.

WILLIAMS BLOW FOR HOSTS

Zimbabwe will hope to continue their form from the preceding three-match Twenty20 International series. Despite losing 2-1, they gave their higher-ranked opponents a tough contest.

But the hosts suffered a blow on Tuesday when skipper Sean Williams was ruled out of the first Test after failing to recover from an injury to his hand.

Williams had also missed the second Twenty20 against Pakistan.

“Zimbabwe captain Sean Williams will miss the first Test match against Pakistan after he failed to fully recover from a soft tissue injury to his left hand in time for the game that gets underway at Harare Sports Club this Thursday. The injury, which had forced him to sit out the second T20I last Friday, flared up during the third game on Sunday,” Zimbabwe Cricket said in a statement.

Recalled wicket-keeper/batsman Brendan Taylor, who did not feature in Zimbabwe’s previous series against Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates due to ill health, will lead the home side in Williams’ absence.

“With Williams ruled out, Brendan Taylor has been asked to stand in as Zimbabwe’s captain for the first Test,” the statement added.

Apart from Williams, Taylor is the only other player who featured in the Test series in 2013.

In Blessing Muzarabani and Victor Nyauchi, Zimbabwe have a potent pace attack strengthened by Luke Jongwe, expected to make his Test debut after taking nine wickets in the T20 series.

The second Test will also be in Harare from May 7, with the full tour played behind closed doors due to Covid-19.

Teams (from):

ZIMBABWE: Brendan Taylor (captain), Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chisoro, Tanaka Chivanga, Luke Jongwe, Roy Kaia, Kevin Kasuza, Wellington Masakadza, Prince Masvaure, Tarisai Musakanda, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Milton Shumba, Donald Tiripano, Sean Williams.

PAKISTAN: Babar Azam (captain), Imran Butt, Abid Ali, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Saud Shakeel, Agha Salman, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Tabish Khan, Hasan Ali, Shahnawaz Dhani, Nauman Ali, Zahid Mahmood, Sajid Khan.

Umpires: Langton Rusere (Zimbabwe) and Marais Erasmus (South Africa).

TV umpire: Iknow Chabi (Zimbabwe).

Match referee: Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe).

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2021