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Mirpur: After warming the bench against India, Mohammad Ashraful is set to return to Bangladesh's playing XI against Ireland on Friday.
Bangladesh team management has indicated that the right-hand batsman will play in place of Naeem Islam, who was unimpressive with the ball as well as the bat against India.
With a packed and settled middle-order, Ashraful will, however, have to bat at No7. Ash, who made is debut against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2001, has batted in all positions from No 1 to 7 in course of his 164 ODI appearances, is used to being moved up and down the order.
It was former Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore who first used Ash at No 7 in the 2007 World Cup. The mercurial batsman made 8 and 45 against India and Sri Lanka, respectively, remaining unbeaten on each occasion to earn a promotion to the middle order where he made a match-winning 87 against South Africa in Guyana, batting at No 5.
His woeful current form has prompted coach Jamie Siddons to follow Whatmore's path. It is up to the hugely talented Ash, who made just one-half century last year, to prove a point or two.
