In a significant growth, 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 12 months. The 39-year-old, who made a profitable return to cricket in 2016 after serving a 5 12 months 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 function in spot-fixing in the course of the Pakistan and England Test match in August, 2010.

After returning to cricket in 2016, Butt loved a whole lot of success as a batter and captain in home competitions however was by no means thought of for the nationwide group once more regardless that his associate in crime, Muhammad Amir was quick tracked again into the Pakistan facet 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 the moment busy within the National T20 Championship.

“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,” PCB said in a release.

“When not engaged in choice duties, the marketing consultant members could also be assigned extra duties corresponding to conducting expertise camps.” Butt, Kamran, chief selector Wahab Riaz and former Test pacer, Anjum all played together in the Pakistan team alongside the Director of the Pakistan team, Muhammad Hafeez.

Kamran, in a 15-year career, played 53 Tests, 157 ODIs and 58 T20Is while Butt appeared in 33 Tests, 78 ODIs and 24 T20Is and Anjum played a Test, 62 ODIs and two T20Is from 2004 to 2010.

Butt, Amir and Muhammad Asif were all found guilty of spot-fixing by the national crime agency in the United Kingdom and also served time in jail and the International Cricket Council imposed the bans on them.

Butt, under whose captaincy Pakistan won a Test against Australia at Headingley and one against England at the Oval in 2010, has always complained of being treated unjustly while admitting his remorse over his actions.

Few years years back, then head coach Waqar Younis had also recommended his name for a comeback to the national team, but former captain Shahid Afridi refused to let him make a comeback in the team.

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