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DHAKA, Thursday (Reuters) Pakistan will test out controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar during the opening match of their Bangladesh tour, new coach Mudassar Nazar said on Wednesday.

Nazar said the 26-year-old Shoaib, whose bowling has been under scrutiny after being reported twice last year, would play against Bangladesh A in the three-day opening fixture starting on Saturday.

Shoaib, who last played for Pakistan against England in May last year, rejoins the team after playing club cricket in Australia.

Pakistan's new-look squad, led by Waqar Younis and who arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday, will contest two tests, the first starting on January 9, and three one-day internationals during the one-month tour.

Pakistan have only played one test match -- at home against Bangladesh at the end of August -- in the past seven months due to the Afghanistan crisis and tensions between Pakistan and India over the disputed Kashmir region.

"The players were out of test cricket for quite some time following the cancellation of New Zealand's tour of Pakistan (in October), but that will not make any difference in Dhaka," said Waqar.

He said he expected a friendly series but said his team would play "professionally".

He added: "We have some youngsters, who are being groomed for the World Cup in South Africa next year."

Bangladesh, cricket's newest test nation, have lost eight of their first nine tests and were saved by the rain in the other.

Bangladesh cricket officials on Wednesday, meanwhile, confirmed their interest in hosting Pakistan's test series against West Indies if both sides agreed. West Indies have pulled out of their tour to Pakistan next month because of concerns over regional tensions.

"We are in close contact with the Pakistan Cricket Board in this regard," said Bangladesh Cricket Board director Syed Ashraful Hoque.

Pakistan's 15-man squad includes several young players but there is still a place for veteran all-rounder Wasim Akram and Shadab Kabir, who last played in 1997-98 but showed his form with almost 700 runs in the recent Patrons Trophy competition.

Opening batsman Saeed Anwar was in the original squad but pulled out with a wrist injury.

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