Wahab Riaz recalled to Pakistan squad for England Tests

Riaz has taken 17 wickets in seven Tests

Pakistan have recalled left-arm pace bowler Wahab Riaz for the three-Test series against England in the United Arab Emirates.

The 26-year-old was omitted from the squad that toured Bangladesh this month after being mentioned in the recent spot-fixing trial.

Batsman Umar Akmal also returns, but former captain Shoaib Malik and seamer Mohammad Khalil miss out.

The first Test, taking place in Dubai, begins on 17 January.

The trial in which Riaz was named saw former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt and pace bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir jailed for their part in a plot to deliberately bowl no-balls in a Test against England at Lord's in 2010.

Since Misbah-ul-Haq succeeded Butt as captain, Pakistan have won three and drawn two Test series, beaten Zimbabwe in a one-off Test and reached the semi-finals of the World Cup.

England also play four one-day internationals and three Twenty20 games in the UAE, which has been Pakistan's temporary home since terrorists attacked the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009.

Pakistan squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Adnan Akmal (wicketkeeper), Azhar Ali, Umar Gul, Aizaz Cheema, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Talha, Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Junaid Khan (subject to fitness).