Former captain Shoaib Malik was among three players dropped as Pakistan's new selection committee made major changes Saturday in naming a squad for this month's Asia Cup in Bangladesh. Malik, opening batsman Imran Farhat and wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal were all dropped as the selectors reacted to a 4-0 whitewash by England in last month's one-day series. “We had just one day to select the squad and we have picked the best possible players,” newly appointed chief selector Iqbal Qasim said. Qasim replaced Mohammad Ilyas last Thursday and discussed the team combination with captain Misbahul Haq, who was retained as skipper, and fellow selectors Friday. Left-handed batsman Nasir Jamshed was recalled 2-1/2 years after his most recent international while Sarfraz Ahmed replaced Akmal. Australia's Dav Whatmore has arrived in Pakistan and is expected to be the new coach of the team in place of Mohsin Khan. Englishmen Julian Fountain, who has twice worked with Pakistan team, will be the new fielding coach, replacing Ijaz Ahmed. Squad: Misbahul Haq (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Younus Khan, Umar Akmal, Hammad Azam, Asad Shafiq, Shahid Afridi, Azhar Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Umar Gul, Aizaz Cheema, Wahab Riaz. Herath dropped Sri Lanka's cricket selectors Saturday left out left-arm spinner Rangana Herath for the Asia Cup tournament. Herath, part of the Sri Lankan squad for the ongoing triangular one-day series in Australia, was replaced by leg-spinner Seekkuge Prasanna, who played his last one-day international in November. The 14-man squad will be led by Mahela Jayawardene, with all-rounder Angelo Mathews as his deputy. Sri Lanka will join defending champions India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in the 50-overs-a-side tournament, to be played at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka from March 11 to 22. The squad: Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Angelo Mathews, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisara Perera, Farveez Maharoof, Sachithra Senanayake, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Seekkuge Prasanna, Suranga Lakmal.
