Ahsraful axed, Reza given recall

Farhad Reza last played for Bangladesh in 2008

Farhad Reza

Mohammad Ashraful has been dropped from Bangladesh's squad for the limited-overs leg of their upcoming home series against Pakistan. Allrounder Farhad Reza, who has not played for Bangladesh since 2008, has been recalled to the squad. Shuvagata Hom and Suhrawadi Shuvo also do not find places in the XV, while Elias Sunny, who took seven wickets on Test debut, has been included . Vice-captain Mahmudullah, who missed the ODI series against West Indies due to illness, returns to the squad.

Ashraful had been left out of the squad for the two home Tests against West Indies and now finds himself out of the one-day setup as well. He has been given several opportunities over the last year despite his poor form but his ODI statistics are woeful: his last ODI half-century was in January 2010, and since then he has averaged 10.11 in 18 one-day innings with a highest score of 31. Ashraful recently scored a first-class century - his first in more than a year - but it was not enough to earn him a place in the squad.

Reza is one of the players who joined the ICL in 2008 and was subsequently banned by the BCB for ten years. That ban was lifted when he, along with several other Bangladesh players, severed ties with the rebel league in 2009. He is a part of the Bangladesh A squad that is currently in the West Indies and took three wickets with his medium-pace in the second unofficial Test against West Indies A.

Hom and Shuvo are also part of the Bangladesh A squad in the West Indies. Hom has struggled for runs but Shuvo took 16 wickets over the two four-day games. However, Sunny and Razzak, who was dropped for the Tests against West Indies but has taken 25 wickets in three first-class games since, have been preferred over him for the left-arm spin department.

Bangladesh will play a one-off Twenty20 against Pakistan on November 29 followed by three ODIs.

Mushfiqur Rahim will lead the squad, which has five top-order batsmen including himself, five allrounders, two specialist spinners and three fast bowlers. Shafiul Islam returns to lead the pace department after missing the Tests against West Indies with a foot injury. Alok Kapali and Imrul Kayes have been persisted with despite their poor returns against West Indies.

Squad: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), Mahmudullah (vice-capt.), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Shakib Al Hasan, Alok Kopali, Naeem Islam, Nasir Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Abdur Razzak, Nazmul Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Elias Sunny, Farhad Reza, Shahriar Nafees (for ODI series only)