In a serious improvement, the Pakistan Cricket Board has included tainted former captain Salman Butt within the nationwide choice panel forward of Pakistan’s five-match T20I collection towards New Zealand subsequent yr.
The 39-year-old, who made a profitable return to cricket in 2016 after serving a five-year ban for spot-fixing, has been named together with former teammates Kamran Akmal and Rao Iftikhar Anjum as marketing consultant members to the recently-appointed chief selector, Wahab Riaz.
Butt was suspended for 5 years for his position in spot-fixing throughout the Pakistan and England Take a look at match in August 2010.
After returning to cricket in 2016, Butt loved plenty of success as a batter and captain in home competitions however was by no means thought of for the nationwide crew once more, although his companion in crime, Muhammad Amir was fast-tracked again into the Pakistan aspect in 2016 by the board.
Butt, a former opener, was final month employed for commentary assignments by the PCB for home competitions and is at present busy within the Nationwide T20 Championship.
“Their first task as marketing consultant members to the chief selector consists of the upcoming five-match T20I collection towards New Zealand, set to begin on 12 January 2024 following the conclusion of the Take a look at tour to Australia,” PCB stated in a launch.
“When not engaged in choice duties, the marketing consultant members could also be assigned extra duties akin to conducting expertise camps.” Butt, Kamran, chief selector Wahab Riaz and former Take a look at pacer, Anjum all performed collectively within the Pakistan crew alongside the Director of the Pakistan crew, Muhammad Hafeez.
Kamran, in a 15-year profession, performed 53 Checks, 157 ODIs and 58 T20Is, whereas Butt appeared in 33 Checks, 78 ODIs and 24 T20Is, and Anjum performed a Take a look at, 62 ODIs and two T20Is from 2004 to 2010.
Butt, Amir and Muhammad Asif have been all discovered responsible of spot-fixing by the nationwide crime company in the UK and likewise served time in jail and the Worldwide Cricket Council imposed the bans on them.
Butt, below whose captaincy Pakistan gained a Take a look at towards Australia at Headingley and one towards England on the Oval in 2010, has all the time complained of being handled unjustly whereas admitting his regret over his actions.
Just a few years again, then-head coach Waqar Younis had beneficial his title for a comeback to the nationwide crew, however former captain Shahid Afridi refused to let him make a comeback within the crew.