LAHORE - Shoaib Malik has been retained captain of the Pakistan team for the three-match series against the West Indies to be held at Abu Dhabi. The 15-member team also had Muhammad Yousuf, who has reportedly joined the Indian Cricket League once again. It is worth a mention that Yousuf missed the Canada T20 due to visa problems. It was later learnt that the PCB was likely to select Khalid Latif in place of Mohammad Yousuf. The team has five seamers and two all-rounders. A board official reacting to the Yousuf's joining ICL stated that it would give its formal statement in a day or two. The three one-day matches series will start at the desert oasis from November 12 to 16. The interim selection committee, headed by former fast bowler Saleem Jaffer, named the team. Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, Rao Iftikhar Anjum and Abdur Rauf are the five pacers in the 15-member team while Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi make the two all-rounders. Malik, who was being monitored by the new set up of the PCB under Ijaz Butt (chairman) has been retained captain but his performance would remain in scanner during the Abu Dhabi sojourn. The team also have Akhtar in the line-up who returned to the team in the T20 Canada in August. It would be the real test for the pacer to give his best on the 50-over format of the game. He appeared to be short of full fitness at the tournament but two four-day games for Federal Areas in the ongoing Pentangular Cup have confirmed that he is working his way back. He bowled 22 overs in each game, steadily building up the length of his spells and it culminated in a hostile spell yesterday against Punjab in which he ended with figures of 4-14 from 10 overs, seven of which were maidens. From the two games, he has nine wickets. "There has been significant improvement in his fitness and bowling since August and even just over the course of the last two games," Jaffer was quoted by cricket website. "He was very good in this game [against Punjab] where his rhythm was back and his stamina was there too." A series with India in January was also on their minds. "We want him to be with the team and get back into it because the India series is an important one. He is one of the best bowlers around and we expect him to play a big part in that series," Jaffer said. The performances of the other fast bowlers so far will bring some cheer to Pakistan. Gul has fully recovered from the rib injury he picked up at the Asia Cup in July, taking 6-39 in his only Pentangular game so far this season. Tanvir is the leading wicket-taker with 11 wickets and both Anjum and Rauf have also been impressive. As a result, no place is available for promising fast bowler Sohail Khan, the domestic find last season. Shahid Afridi's return to some semblance of batting form - domestically at least - has helped him retain his place. As the inexperienced Saeed Ajmal is the only spin option, Afridi's leg-spin will also prove handy. "It's an experienced and balanced side. The team was selected after giving due consideration to the opinions of both captain and the coach," Jaffer said. "It's unfortunate that we didn't play a Test match this year, but hopefully the players will be tuned up with this short series against the West Indies before we take on India. The only minor concern is over the health of Nasir Jamshed, the left-handed opener who has impressed on several occasions for Pakistan this year. He has just recovered from malaria and will undergo a fitness test before boarding the flight to Abu Dhabi. "He is 99% okay to go and play," Jaffer said. In case he doesn't, Khalid Latif will take his place. The selectors have also put three players in the reserve. The team: Shoaib Malik (capt), Misbah-ul-Haq (vice-capt), Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal (wk), Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar Anjum, Fawad Alam, Abdur Rauf, Saeed Ajmal. Reserves: Sohail Khan, Yasir Arafat, Khalid Latif.