Ashraful recalled for Pakistan Test

Bangladesh Cricket Board Wednesday announced a 15-member Bangladesh squad to play a two-match test series against touring Pakistan, recalling former national skipper Mohammad Ashraful, reports UNB. The two-match test series will begin tomorrow (Friday) at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in the ports city of Chittagong while the 2nd and last test will be held in Dhaka Dec 17-21 Ashraful, who did not play in the just concluded three-match ODI series against Pakistan, is one of four changes to the Test squad that played West Indies in last October and November. Vice-captain Mahmudullah, medium-pacer Robiul Islam and batsman Nazimuddin were the other inclusions in the 15-man squad, in place of opening batsman Imrul Kayes, middle-order batsmen Raqibul Hasan and Shuvagoto Hom. Ashraful had been out of the Bangladesh squad since being dropped for the Tests against West Indies, after which the coach Stuart Law had said that he needed to perform to play international cricket. Since then he played five National Cricket League matches for Dhaka Metropolis team and scored three half-centuries and one hundred. Mahmudullah's return to the squad was more straightforward. He had missed the West Indies Tests because of dengue fever and recovered in time to play the ODIs against Pakistan. Nazimuddin had not played for Bangladesh since 2008 and he was not part of the recent A team's tour of West Indies either. However, he has scored four half-centuries and a hundred in six matches of ongoing NCL. Kayes was axed after a string of poor performances. He made only 53 runs in three ODIs and 61 runs in two Tests against West Indies. He then scored 28 and 3 in an NCL match for Khulna Division, after which he was out for 2 and 6 in the Twenty20 and an ODI against Pakistan. Shuvagata Hom was dropped even though he did not play a Test against West Indies and is yet to debut. Raqibul was cut after poor performance of A team tour of West Indies where he made only 91 runs in eight innings across formats. Bangladesh Test Squad: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Mahmudullah (vc), Tamim Iqbal, Shahriar Nafees, Mohammad Ashraful, Shakib Al Hasan, Naeem Islam, Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Nazmul Hossain, Elias Sunny, Shahadat Hossain, Suhrawadi Shuvo, Robiul Islam, Nazimuddin.