Karachi: Pakistan's pace spearhead Mohammad Asif was today drafted into the national squad for the fourth ODI against Bangladesh after spending six months on the sidelines due to a chronic elbow problem.

The national selection committee included him in a 16-member squad announced for the one-dayer to be played on Wednesday in Multan.

"Asif has made an impressive recovery from his elbow problem and he has worked very hard and followed his rehabilitation program religiously. We thought this is the best time to ease him back into international cricket," chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed said.

The selectors have also included young pacers Kamran Hussain and Wahab Riaz in the squad.

Pakistan blooded several new players in the home one-day series against Zimbabwe earlier this year and in the ongoing rubber against Bangladesh.

Their top pacers, Shoaib Akhtar, Asif, Umar Gul and Rao Iftikhar have all been injury-prone.

Asif last played in the Test series against South Africa in October at home before being ruled out with an elbow problem. Asif was sent to Australia for surgery on his elbow problem and made a comeback to competitive cricket last week in a domestic one-day game.

The bowler, who is training in Lahore, said he was delighted to get a call.

"It has been frustrating to sit out and miss important matches all this while. But this time I have worked hard on finding a permanent solution to the elbow problem," he said.

Asif said playing in the domestic one-dayer had helped him regain confidence and he was ready for the series against Bangladesh.

The lanky pacer, who has taken 51 wickets in 11 matches, is also signed up to play in the Indian Premier League and said the remaining games against Bangladesh would hopefully allow him to get into rhythm for the IPL.

"I am looking forward to learning a lot from playing with Glenn McGrath in the IPL and hopefully this elbow issue is now resolved," he said.

Source : PTI