The Pakistan team management have ramped up preparations for next month’s UAE series against England by requesting that off-spinner Bilal Asif is retained by the selection committee for the upcoming ODI series against Zimbabwe.

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Bilal, who erupted on the domestic scene by scoring Pakistan’s fastest domestic T20 ton for Sialkot Stallions, is naturally an off-spinner and the think tank feels that he can fulfill the role of a genuine off-spinner in absence of Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shaharyar Khan approved of Bilal’s retention for Zimbabwe as the 16th member of the squad following Haroon Rashid’s recommendation.

 “After a discussion with Misbah-ul-Haq, it was put forth by the Pakistan Test captain that England’s five left-handed batsmen combined with Hafeez’s inability to bowl at international level, we were left with no off-spin bowling options in the Test squad,” Haroon said.

“Misbah suggested that Bilal Asif is presently the standout available option in the domestic circuit. Therefore we can try him in the ODI matches against Zimbabwe and assess his off-spin credentials with a view to the series with England.”

There is a growing feeling in Pakistan that England are a much improved side from the team that were whitewashed in the 2012 series.

The banning of Ajmal and Hafeez is a hammer-blow to Pakistan, who have lost their most potent spin-bowling threat across all formats of the game.

Leg-spinner Yasir Shah has emerged as a strike bowler in their absence but Test captain Misbah believes that Bilal’s extra variation that could prove the difference between the two sides.

“We have already picked two left-arm spin bowlers in the Pak ‘A’ team for this purpose (variation) but if Bilal Asif performs well in Zimbabwe, then we can select him in the Test squad as an off-spinner along with leggie Yasir Shah and left-arm spin of Zulfiqar Babar,” Haroon explained.

“The suggestion was discussed by the selectors, as well as with Head Coach Waqar Younis, and there was unanimity of view on the issue.”