KARACHI, Jan 12: Young Zimbabwe skipper Prosper Utseya has said his team members are not scared of express bowler Shoaib Akhtar in the upcoming five-match One-day International series against Pakistan.

“Our players have played against him (Shoaib) in the past and we are ready to face him in the series,” the 22-year-old Utseya told the reporters on his team’s arrival press conference along with coach Robin Brown, manager Givenmore Makoni and media manager Lovemore Banda.

Dubbed as ‘Rawalpindi Express’, Shoaib has already made himself available for the series.

“We have been playing good cricket in the past few months and are looking ahead to play positive cricket here,” the skipper stated, adding he knew they were up against a top team but that were ready for the task.

Responding to a question regarding hosts aiming to make the clean-sweep of the five-match series, Utseya said coach Robin Brown said they were working hard for the revival of their Test status which the ICC stripped of after their string of poor performances.

“We are hoping perform well in the four-day game in a bid to get back to Test cricket,” Brown, the lanky coach, said. “It’s a bit hard but we working hard for this.”

While admitting that majority of his players were not experienced, Brown said they were a talented bunch eager to do well on the tour.

“We’ve got experienced players Taibu, Taylor and Williams and more we play better we would get close to reach the position his team was in when senior players were there,” he maintained.

Earlier on Saturday, a 23-member Zimbabwe squad arrived in Karachi amid tight security.

Pakistan cricket officials hope a successful tour will help ease Australian concerns about security ahead of the world champions’ visit scheduled for March-April.

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) chief Peter Chingoka said on the team’s departure from Harare that the players’ safety was up to the host country and the team felt comfortable touring Pakistan.

To a question regarding safety of his team, Makoni said: “The PCB has given us the safety guarantee. We have only concentrate to do well on the tour.”

Heavy contingents of police and paramilitary staff were deployed at Karachi’s international airport for their arrival.

Foreign teams have raised security fears following last month’s assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

Several Australian players have expressed their reluctance to travel to Pakistan under the circumstances.

Zimbabwe, whose Test status suspension will come under review later this year, will open the tour with a four-day side game in Karachi from Jan 14 before the five ODIs, with the first game to be played here on Jan 21.

Squad: Prosper Utseya (captain), Gary Brent, Chamu Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Keith Dabengwa, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Chris Mpofu, Tawanda Mupariwa, Ray Price, Vusi Sibanda, Tatenda Taibu, Brendon Taylor, Sean Williams; Robin Brown (coach).

Schedule:

Jan 14-17: Four-day game v PCB Patron’s XI, Karachi

Jan 21: 1st ODI, Karachi (d/n)

Jan 24: 2nd ODI, Hyderabad

Jan 27: 3rd ODI, Multan (d/n)

Jan 30: 4th ODI, Faisalabad (d/n)

Feb 2: 5th ODI, Sheikhupura.—Agencies