DHAKA, March 16: Batsman Aftab Ahmed and all-rounder Mahmudullah are the only changes in the Bangladesh squad for the three One-day Internationals against Ireland.

They replace Syed Rasel and Mosharraf Hossain, who featured in the recent one-day series against South Africa.

Aftab has recovered from the injury he suffered after top-edging a Jacques Kallis delivery onto his face during the Chittagong Test earlier this month.

“Aftab is a mainstay in our middle-order and one of the more experienced members of the side,” chief selector Rafiqul Alam said. “He has been declared 100 per cent fit by the physio. His medium-pace bowling will also be useful.”

Mahmudullah returns after having been discarded following a solitary ODI appearance against Sri Lanka last July.

“He brings in a bit of variation as he bowls offspin. He is also a capable batsman,” Rafiqul said.

“Mosharraf hasn’t done what we expected from him against South Africa and Rasel I would say was unlucky as we could only pick a squad of 14.”

The Ireland series presents captain Mohammad Ashraful with a great opportunity to pick up his first win — Bangladesh have lost all his previous nine games in charge. The first ODI is in Mirpur on Tuesday.

Squad: Mohammad Ashraful (captain), Mashrafe Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, Junaid Siddique, Aftab Ahmed, Nazimuddin, Shahriar Nafees, Saqibul Hasan, Dhiman Ghosh, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain, Mahmudullah, Farhad Reza, Raqibul Hasan.—Agencies