AC Milan striker Giampaolo Pazzini was rewarded for his hat-trick heroics on Saturday with selection to Cesare Prandelli's Italy squad to face Bulgaria and Malta next week.
Prandelli announced his 25-man squad on Sunday, with Pazzini being called up a day after a 3-1 win at Bologna gave the Rossoneri their first league win of the season.
Italy face Bulgaria in Sofia on Friday in their first qualifier for the 2014 World Cup to be held in Brazil and host Malta in Modena four days later.
Also in Group B are Denmark, the Czech Republic and Armenia.
There was no place, however, for striker Antonio Cassano, who left Milan to join city rivals Inter last week in a deal that took former Inter man Pazzini the other way.
Pazzini was not a part of Italy's squad for the Euro 2012, where the Azzurri were beaten in the final by Spain. His last call-up was against the United States in February 2012.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain/FRA), Emiliano Viviano (Fiorentina)
Defenders: Davide Astori (Cagliari), Federico Balzaretti (Roma), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leaonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Mattia Cassani (Fiorentina), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Angelo Ogbonna (Torino)
Midfielders: Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna), Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Antonio Nocerino (Milan), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Andrea Poli (Sampdoria), Marco Verratti (Paris St Germain/FRA)
Strikers: Fabio Borini (Liverpool/ENG), Mattia Destro (Roma), Sebastien Giovinco (Juventus), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Pablo Osvaldo (Roma), Giampaolo Pazzini (AC Milan)
Source: AFP
