Suspended former Pakistan captain, Salman Butt has vowed to cooperate with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) in his quest to get his 10-year ban reduced. “I have been cooperating with the PCB and ICC and will keep on doing so. Returning to Cricket is my foremost desire, and I hope that my sentence would be reduced, and I would be allowed to play domestic cricket soon.” said Salman Butt.
Butt met with the vigilance committee of the PCB to formally expressed willingness to participate in the rehabilitation programme. Earlier, Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Amir have also done the same.
“I have signed the required documents, and now it’s up to the PCB’s vigilance committee. I will follow it’s directions whenever they are given”, added Butt.
The ICC handed down bans of five, seven and ten years to Amir, Asif and Butt respectively for their role in the notorious spot fixing episode of 2010.
Butt has met with the anti-corruption and vigilance unit of the national cricket board (PCB) in a bid to get his minimum five-year ban reduced.
“I met with the anti-corruption and vigilance officers of the board and assured them of my full cooperation in any rehabilitation program they want me to attend to get over the spot fixing episode,” Butt said.
Butt and two other Pakistani players, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir were banned by the anti-corruption tribunal of the International Cricket Council in early 2011 for their role in the spot fixing scandal that erupted during Pakistan’s tour to England in the fourth Test at Lords in 2010.
Butt, who was captain at that time, was given a 10-year ban by the ICC tribunal but with five of them suspended sentence, while Asif got seven years (two of them suspended) and Aamir five years.
All three have completed around three years of their ban period, which began from September, 2010 when they were first suspended by the ICC from all cricket activities.
The trio later also served different jail sentences in the United Kingdom in 2012 after being found guilty of cheating and corruption by a Crown court in London.
All of them have confessed to being involved in spot fixing and pledged to make amends and cooperate with the ICC in their anti-corruption program.
“I have signed a letter of intent and other documents confirming I am ready to rehabilitate myself and work with the ICC to create awareness about the pitfalls off corruption and fixing,” Butt said.
“I am cooperating because it remains my desire to get a chance to play cricket once again in future and also to get my ban reduced,” he added.
Butt said that returning to cricket was his priority and he was willing to follow all instructions of the PCB and ICC.
The left handed opener said even if he didn’t get a chance to play international cricket again he would like to get a chance to play domestic cricket.
