Inclusion of Salman Butt on the National Selection Panel by the Pakistan Cricket Board. Before Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand in 2019, the Pakistan Cricket Board made a significant move by adding Salman Butt, the disgraced former captain, to the national selection panel.
The 39-year-old, who served a five-year sentence for spot-fixing in 2016 and returned to cricket with great success, has been nominated as a consultant to Wahab Riaz, the head selector, along with former colleagues Kamran Akmal and Rao Iftikhar Anjum.
In August 2010, Butt was given a five-year suspension for his involvement in spot-fixing during the Test match between Pakistan and England.
Despite his partner-in-crime, Muhammad Amir, being quickly reintegrated into the Pakistan squad by the board in 2016, Butt never again received consideration for the national team despite his great success as a batsman and captain in local tournaments after his comeback to cricket in 2016.
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The former opener Butt is now playing in the National T20 Championship after being signed by the PCB last month to provide commentary for local events.
“The forthcoming five-match Twenty20 International series against New Zealand, scheduled to commence on January 12, 2024, following the conclusion of the Test tour to Australia, is their first assignment as consultant members to the chief selector,” the PCB stated in a release.
“When not engaged in selection duties, the consultant members may be assigned additional tasks such as conducting skills camps.” In the Pakistani team, Butt, Kamran, top selector Wahab Riaz, and former Test bowler Anjum were teammates, as was Muhammad Hafeez, the team’s director.
In his 15-year career, Kamran participated in 53 Tests, 157 ODIs, and 58 Twenty20 Internationals. Meanwhile, Butt made appearances in 33 Tests, 78 ODIs, and 24 T20Is. From 2004 to 2010, Anjum participated in one Test, 62 ODIs, and two T20Is.
The National Crime Agency in the United Kingdom found Butt, Amir, and Muhammad Asif guilty of spot-fixing; they were all sentenced to prison time and the bans were enforced by the International Cricket Council.
