2010 AFF Cup hero Safee Sali received a surprise national call up as Malaysia coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee named a provisional 26-man squad for next month's regional showcase.
English-born Darren Lok was also selected as one of the strikers, with Malaysia opening their campaign against Cambodia in Myanmar on Nov. 20.
Safee scored five times to inspire Malaysia to their only AFF Cup title six years ago, under former coach Datuk K. Rajagobal.
His goals made him the top marksman in the tournament, earning him a lucrative move to the Indonesia Super League with Pelita Jaya in 2011 before Johor Darul Ta'zim came calling in 2013.
Ong wants to draw on the veteran striker's experience, despite the 32-year-old barely featuring this season.
"Safee has the reputation and experience to guide other players in the striking department. I know he has hardly played for his club this season, but I have two weeks to fix any deficiencies within the team," said Ong.
Safee made a rare start in the AFC Cup semifinals second-leg defeat to Bengaluru FC, and had a hand in Safiq Rahim's opener in the 3-1 defeat.
The former Cardiff City trialist was the only new face called up as Abdul Latiff Suhaimi, Fakrul Aiman, Adam Nor Azlin, Fazrul Hazli and Azrif Nasrulhaq failed to make the cut from the previous squad.
Eighteen players will report for national camp at the FAM headquarters on Oct. 25, while the Kedah and Selangor players involved in the Malaysia Cup final will join the squad on Nov. 1.
Malaysia, who slipped six rungs down the latest FIFA rankings to 164th, are desperate for some international success after a horrific 2015 which saw them suffer humiliating 10-0 defeat to the United Arab Emirates and two 6-0 thrashings at the hands of Palestine in 2018 AFC World Cup qualifiers.
They started the AFF Cup warm-up with a 3-0 loss to Indonesia on Sept. 6, before holding neighbours Singapore to a goalless draw on Oct. 7. They drew 1-1 against Afghanistan four days later.
The Harimau Malaysia have another warm-up match against Papua New Guinea on Nov. 14, and will head to the coastal town of Port Dickson for a three-day building camp on Nov. 2.
"The building camp is important for me to encourage camaraderie within the team. We won't have any field training during that period," said Ong.
Malaysia are in Group B of the AFF Suzuki Cup, along with co-hosts Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Malaysia provisional AFF Cup squad:
Shahrul Saad, Nazirul Naim, Hafizul Hakim, Nasir Basharuddin, Irfan Fazail, Zaquan Adha, Darren Lok, Amri Yahyah, Fadhli Shas, Safee Sali, Fakri Saarani, Hadin Azman, Khairul Fahmi Che Mat, Matthew Davies, Ronny Harun, Ahmad Khuzaimi Piee, Safawi Rasid, Norshahrul Idlan Talaha, Baddrol Bakhtiar, Rizal Ghazali, Syazwan Zainon, Khairul Helmi, Shahrom Kalam, Khairul Azhan, Ahmad Hazwan Bakri, S. Veenod