KARACHI, March 30: As expected, the national cricket selectors have not considered fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif while announcing on Sunday a 16-member Pakistan squad for the opening two One-day Internationals of the forthcoming series against Bangladesh.

Shoaib, whose career has been constantly blighted by controversies, is presently facing a disciplinary inquiry for criticising the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after being demoted from central contract. He is slated to appear before the board disciplinary committee on Tuesday.

Asif, meanwhile, has not been cleared to play by the team management since he is still recuperating from an elbow injury, which was operated upon in Australia last December.

The 25-year-old Asif has not played since the one-day series against South Africa in October last year.

However, the selectors have recalled paceman Umar Gul, who has apparently recovered from the back trouble which forced him home from the tour of India last November/December.

Chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed said the best possible squad has been picked because Pakistan are not going to take minnows Bangladesh lightly.

“Although Bangladesh’s track record may not be that impressive, it would be foolish if we start taking them for granted. They have pulled off several shock results over fancied teams in limited-overs cricket,” Salahuddin told Dawn.

He pointed out the selectors would be considering more players for the remaining three matches as they did during Pakistan’s 5-0 victory against Zimbabwe at home earlier this year.

“We will definitely try out more players as the series unfolds. Players such as Faisal Iqbal, Naumanullah, Yasir Hameed, Kamran Hussain, Yasir Ali and Junaid Zia will be considered when we pick squads for the rest of the series,” he remarked.

Commenting on the inclusion of Bazid Khan, who has not played for the national side since the tour of West Indies in 2005, the chairman of selectors said Bazid had performed exceptionally on the domestic circuit this season. “He [Bazid] was the second highest run-getter [522 at an average of over 74] in the Pentangular Cup and fully deserves to be recalled because he had performed.”

The lowly-rated Bangladesh accepted the invitation from a desperate Pakistan Cricket Board after world champions Australia opted to postpone their tour of this country over security fears. They lost heavily in the home series to South Africa before defeating Ireland 3-0.

Bangladesh, led by Mohammad Ashraful, are due to arrive here on April 6 and begin the five-match ODI series two days later in Lahore. The remaining four games will be played in Faisalabad (April 11), Lahore (April 13), Multan (April 16) and Karachi (April 19).

The tourists then face the hosts in the first-ever Twenty20 International on Pakistan’s soil.

Pakistan squad for first two ODIs: Shoaib Malik (captain), Misbah-ul-Haq, Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, Rao Iftikhar, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz, Fawad Alam, Bazid Khan, Sarfraz Ahmed.