LAHORE, Feb 1 Opener Khurram Manzoor and all-rounder Rizwan Ahmad are likely to make their international debuts in the fifth and final One-day International against Zimbabwe at Sheikhuura Stadium on Saturday as Pakistan look for clean sweep.

The national selection committee, which has introduced a good number of new players in the series against a lowly-graded Zimbabwe side in order to prepare a back-up for the seniors, held an initial meeting with captain Shoaib Malik and coach Geoff Lawson on Friday to finalise the playing XI from the 15 probables who had been announced on Thursday.

Sources, however, told Dawn that while Khurram and Rizwan had bright chances to get the green cap, there was a tie between medium-pacer Wahab Riaz and Abdul Rauf and also among Nasir Jamshed and Khalid Lateef. There is also a possibility that both Wahab and Rauf may be included and Sohail Khan be left out.

Though Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik is anxious to make a clean sweep in the five match series after taking 4-0 lead, the forecast for a inclement weather in most part of the Punjab province may dent his hopes.

“Our prime target in the series is to win the fifth match also and make a clean sweep against Zimbabwe,” said Malik at the pre-match press conference which was organised in Lahore instead of Sheikhupura, a city some 40 kilometres away from the Punjab capital. The PCB, apparently, decided to hold the net practice and the press conferences in Lahore to avoid traveling.

While Malik vowed to go for a whitewash, the visitors` coach Robin Brown was optimistic for an elusive win to revive the memories of their win at Sheikhupura about 10 years ago. Zimbabwe had defeated Pakistan by six wickets in the lone One-day International played at the Sheikhupura Stadium in 1998. Mohammad Yousuf and Shahid Afridi are the only two players of that Pakistan team who are still surviving. But incidentally, both will not be playing at Sheikhupura as the selectors had given them a rest.

Malik hinted that some more new players will be tried on Saturday but the final playing eleven would be made after having a look at the strip.

He dispelled the impression that only all-rounders were being introduced in the series and clarified that Nasir Jamshed, Sarfraz Ahmad and Sohail Khan were specialists in their departments.“We may call up more new players in the camp for the home series against Australia to have a maximum back-up for the high-profile series,” he said.

He did not agree with the question that he looked more comfortable in the ODIs compared to the Test matches and said he had already assured the nation that he would not repeat the mistakes he had made in 2007.

Asked about Shoaib Akhtars sudden appearance in the training camp on Friday, he said there was nothing surprising about it and instead his bowling would be beneficial for the batsmen in the nets.

“Shoaib is a great asset for Pakistan and it is good that he is regaining his true form,” said Malik.

Meanwhile, Brown who attended the press conference with makeshift captain Hamilton Masakadza said that his boys had learnt a lot from the series against Pakistan and he was satisfied with their overall performance.

“We lack in experience which contributed mainly to our defeats in the series. We take a good start in every match but in the middle overs we fail to keep up the tempo and actually home team has been performing well in those overs,” said Brown.

He, however, added that his team needed to work harder to achieve better results.

Masakzdza said though he was not aware about his team`s last victory at Sheikhupura, he wished to repeat the history by winning there once again.

Teams (from)

PAKISTAN Shoaib Malik (captain), Nasir Jamshed, Khurram Manzoor, Khalid Lateef, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Naumanullah, Fawad Alam, Rizwan Ahmed, Sarfraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), Sohail Tanveer, Junaid Zia, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz, Abdur Rauf.

Zimbabwe Vusi Sibanda, Hamilton Masakzadza (captain), Tatenda Taibu (wicket-keeper), Brendan Taylor, Chamu Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Sean Williams, Keith Dabengwa, Ray Price, Gary Brent, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Christopher Mpofu, Timycen Maruma.