Former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Ramiz Raja, has criticised the board for naming convicted match-fixer Salman Butt as a consultant member to chief selector Wahab Riaz for the next series against New Zealand. Notably, Salman Butt, who confessed to spot-fixing and was jailed, is one of the three people selected by the PCB on Friday (December 1) following recent administrative clearance to bring Pakistan cricket back on course. However, Raja is disappointed with the appointment. Other than Butt, ex-cricketer Kamran Akmal and Rao Iftikhar Anjum have been selected for the role.
“It’s insane to have a selection committee consisting of a member whose decision can be termed as a display of filial affection or non-affection and another who was locked up for match-fixing,” Raja was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
On Friday, December 1, Pakistan’s top cricket regulating body released a press release confirming the appointment of the three members. “The three have assumed their responsibilities in the selection panel with immediate effect. Their first assignment as consultant members to the chief selector includes the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, set to commence on 12 January 2024 following the conclusion of the Test tour to Australia,” the press release read.
Interestingly, the PCB press release mentioned the cricketing credentials of the newly appointed consult members. While underscoring Salman Butt’s records, the press release stated, “Former Test captain Salman Butt represented Pakistan in 33 Tests, 78 ODIs and 24 T20Is. He made 5,209 runs spanning the three formats with 11 international centuries. He was in the T20 World Cup winning squad in 2009.” However, the board did not make any mention of Butt confessing to his involvement in spot-fixing and the subsequent jail term he served.
It is pertinent to recall that the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended Salman Butt, Pakistan’s captain at the time, as well as two other Pakistan players, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, back in September 2010. ICC also slapped Butt with a 10-year ban. Notably, at the behest of a bookie, the trio colluded to bowl no-balls at certain moments during the Lord’s Test against England. Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir, and Mohammad Asif were sentenced to 30 months in prison in November 2011 after their trial in a London court for offences under the Gambling Act.
