The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the 14-member Pakistan squad for two T20 international matches against England to be played on 19th and 20th February in Dubai.

Shoaib Malik has been named as skipper of the team as Shahid Afridi will not play in the first T20 international match due to two matches ban on him by International Cricket Council. Afridi was banned for two T20 matches due to ball-tampering charges in fifth ODI against Australia.

Wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal is dropped after his poor performance behind the wickets in the recently concluded test and ODI series against Australia. Sarfraz Ahmed is included in the Pakistan squad as new wicket-keeper.

Fast bowler Mohammad Asif is also not included in the squad as he was banned to enter in UAE by the Dubai government after he was held with opium in his wallet while flying back to Pakistan from Dubai airport in 2008.

Pakistan Cricket Board chief operating officer Wasim Bari said that Afridi would have led the Pakistan squad if he would not have been banned for the two T20 international matches.

Pakistan squad includes Shoaib Malik (captain), Imran Nazir, Imran Farhat, Khalid Latif, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Sarfraz Ahmad, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Yasir Arafat, Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Talha.