Experienced Pakistan players Shoaib Malik and Muhammad Sami on Tuesday received surprise call-ups to the national side for the two T20 matches against the touring Zimbabwe team after spending close to three years in the wilderness.
Fast bowler Sami returned to the 15-member squad after nearly two-and-a-half years while Malik last played for Pakistan in April 2014. Chief selector Haroon Rasheed said both the experienced players were recalled on the back of their excellent performances in the national super eights T20 tournament that concluded on Monday in Faisalabad. For Sami, 34, it was a big comeback after June 2012 and also influenced due to the long list of injured <g data-gr-id="8">pacers</g> including Muhammad Irfan, Rahat Ali, Ehsan Adil and Sohail Khan.