Pakistan drop Riaz over spot-fixing links

Karachi, Nov 21 Pakistan have dropped Wahab Riaz from the squad for the tour of Bangladesh after the pacer's name was mentioned in the recent spot-fixing trial.

Riaz was a part of the squad for last month's Test series against Sri Lanka in United Arab Emirates (UAE) but was sent home he was named in court as being allegedly involved in the scam. Riaz has been replaced in the Test squad by 23-year-old quick bowler Mohammad Talha.

A London court earlier this year sentenced Salman Butt, Mohammed Amir and Mohammad Asif to jail for spot-fixing at the Lord's Test last year. The trio's agent Mazhar Majeed, a bookie, was also found guilty.

During the trial, an undercover reporter claimed that Majeed had told him that Wahab, Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal were players he could control in relation to fixing, the BBC reported.

Riaz made his debut against England at the Oval last year during an ill-fated series, which was marred with allegations of spot-fixing.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) refused to comment the reasons for Wahab's exclusion.

"We have picked the best possible team," said chief selector Mohammad Illyas.

Riaz had said that he is ready for any investigation by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to clear his name.

"I don't like these media reports insinuating things about me. The selectors dropped me for the one-day series against Sri Lanka - that is their decision. But to insinuate I have been dropped because of some spot-fixing allegations is not acceptable," he said.

Pakistan will play two Tests, three one-dayers and one Twenty20 international in Bangladesh from November 26.

Pakistan Test squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Taufiq Umar, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Shoaib Malik, Adnan Akmal, Junaid Khan, Aizaz Cheema, Mohammad Talha, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Umar Gul