Taylor is back from paternity leave and Williams is no longer on strike after signing a contract, with Richmond Mutumbami and Tino Mawoyo the leading candidates to make way. Graeme Cremer, meanwhile, should be a more threatening pick than Prosper Utseya
The host seam attack was dominant in the first Test and, with the pitch subject to a short turnaround and hence rather under-prepared, Tinashe Panyangara and company will welcome the conditions. Bowling first, again, seems the right choice for the captain triumphant at the toss.
Plenty of Zimbabwe batsmen enjoyed promising starts, but didn't convert into innings of significance last week. This has to change, with the onus on more than just Taylor, Williams or Hamilton Masakadza.
How they will fare against Pakistan's spin twins, though, remains in the balance. Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman dominated previously, despite a track that hardly deteriorated. Malcolm Waller and Sikandar Raza's defiance suggested better, and the rest can take example - on the sweep and straight down the ground.
The tourists probably won't tinker with their XI. Rahat Ali was not as consistent as Junaid Khan, but deserves another go, as does Khurram Manzoor at the top of the order. The youngsters, around the veterans, need to step up once and for all. Younis Khan insisted on this - and his words can't fall on deaf ears.
The Zimbabweans recently return to the International Cricket Council rankings, while the Pakistanis currently occupy fourth berth. There are gains, toward the top and at the bottom, for both sides - provided neither underestimate themselves
Probable Teams
Zimbabwe: Vusi Sibanda, Hamilton Masakadza, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Malcolm Waller, Elton Chigumbura, Prosper Utseya, Shingi Masakadza, Tinashe Panyangara, Tendai Chatara.
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Khurram Manzoor, Asad Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal, Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan, Rahat Ali.
Via Sports-Maza
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