The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Saturday backtracked on its decision to appoint former cricketer Salman Butt as a “consultant member” in the board’s selection committee following intervention by caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar — the board’s patron-in-chief.
The premier has taken notice of Butt’s appointment and directed the board to ensure that the selection committee remains free from controversies.
The prime minister has directed the board to ensure the inclusion of “well-reputed” and “non-controversial” individuals in the selection committee, the prime minister’s office media wing said in a press release.
Earlier in the day, PCB Chief Selector Wahab Riaz announced to remove Butt from his team.
“People were talking all sorts of stuff about me and Salman Butt. Therefore, I am reverting the decision [and] I have already spoken to Salman Butt and I have told him that he cannot be part of my team,” he said while speaking to reporters at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
Elaborating on his decision to backtrack on Butt’s appointment, Riaz clarified that he was doing so due to “propaganda”.
He also cited the examples of Indian cricket where players like Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja have taken roles.
“In India, we have examples of Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja. They are working in cricket now and there is no fuss. Azharuddin is president of one of the cricket associations and Jadeja was Afghanistan’s batting consultant in the World Cup,” the left-arm pacer added.
The development comes after the board’s decision to include the former skipper — along with Kamran Akmal and Rao Iftikhar Anjum — in the selection committee irked the cricketing fraternity and drew strong criticism from fans and ex-cricketers alike.
Butt, for his role in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and banned from playing for 10 years for being involved in conspiracy to bowl deliberate no-balls during a 2010 Test match against England at Lord’s.
— With additional input from APP
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