Pakistan recall Asif

LAHORE: Pakistan named paceman Mohammad Asif in a 16-man squad for the fourth one-day international against Bangladesh after a five-month lay-off due to injury. The penultimate game of the five-match series will be played at Multan on Wednesday. The 25-year-old Asif underwent an operation in Australia in December after an elbow problem recurred during the one-day series against South Africa two months earlier. Asif missed Pakistan’s tour of India late last year before being ruled out of the five-match home series against Zimbabwe. — AFP

Inter eye Ronaldinho

MILAN: Inter Milan has joined AC Milan in trying to sign Ronaldinho from FC Barcelona. Inter owner Massimo Moratti confirmed his club’s interest in the Brazil playmaker. “I can say that there’s nothing definite yet,” Moratti said. “I think that Milan want to bring him

aboard, but we too are interested. We’ll see.” On Saturday, Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport quoted Ronaldinho’s agent and brother, Robert De Assis, as saying that the player was a step closer to leaving Barcelona and joining AC Milan. Ronaldinho has a contract at Barcelona through 2010. — AP