Published: Apr 13, 2014, 10:10 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 04, 2015, 12:33 PM (IST)
Karachi: Apr 13, 2014
Former Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt has requested the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to treat the banned players — Mohammad Asif and Mohammed Aamer and him — who are trying to resume their domestic and international careers equally. Butt along with teammates Aamer and Asif were reportedly jailed and banned for a minimum of five years in 2010 by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for spot fixing during a Test match against England. According to The Dawn, Amir had pleaded guilty and did not contest the punishment but the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected Asif and Butt’s appeals last year. PCB chairman, Najam Sethi said that he would fight at the ICC for Amir to resume playing at least domestic First-Class cricket later this year after ICC anti-corruption laws are amended this summer adding that top lawyers in the UK had advised him that Butt and Asif do not have strong cases.
Butt said that he wishes Sethi should also do what he is doing for Asif, for other banned players as well. Butt also said that Pakistan does not need Amir and he wished him all the best, but added that he feels other banned players should also get similar treatment. Butt, who also wants to start his rehabilitation, said that he has met with PCB’s anti-corruption official at least 10 times, but the official always informs him that the board would let him know. The former left-handed opener said that people do make mistakes, but once they serve their punishments they should be given a chance to revive their lives. The minimum five-year bans for all three players are due to end in September 2015, the report added.
