Mortaza replaces Akhtar in Asia squad

Mashrafe Mortaza, the Bangladesh fast bowler, has replaced Shoaib Akhtar in the Asian squad for the Afro-Asia Cup beginning next month in India. Shoaib had pulled out two days earlier as he failed to recover sufficiently from a knee injury.

"We have picked up Mortaza to replace (Shoaib) Akhtar in the Asian squad," ASM Faruque, member of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) selection committee told Reuters.

Mortaza is the second Bangladesh player to make it to the one-day squad after the inclusion of Mohammad Rafique, left-arm spinner. Mortaza is also a part of the Asian Twenty20 international squad for the one-off match on June 5 in Bangalore. He recently won the Man-of-the-Match award in the first Test against India in Chittagong for his first-innings 79.

The three-match ODI series gets underway on June 6 in Bangalore, followed by the next two games in Chennai on June 9 and 10 respectively.