Speaking on the Wisden T20 World Cup Daily podcast, Mark Butcher hit out at Twitter users who suggested Adil Rashid was only selected for England because of his race, following England’s semi-final victory over India.

Rashid put in a sublime performance with the ball England’s semi-final annihilation of India to reach their third T20 World Cup final. He took 1-20 including the crucial wicket of Suryakumar Yadav, and bowled eight dot balls in his spell. In their prior match against Sri Lanka in the Super 12, Rashid was awarded the Player of the Match award after another match defining spell of 1-16.

Previously in England’s winter, Rashid had come up against criticism after his form dipped prior to the recent matches in the World Cup. In England’s seven match tour of Pakistan prior to flying out to Australia, Rashid only took five wickets, averaging 44.80, and the first 15 overs he bowled in Australia went for 135 runs. On the Wisden T20 World Cup Daily podcast which followed England’s victory in Adelaide, Butcher hit out at those online suggesting Rashid’s form meant he was only selected based on his race.

“You’ve put it delicately, I’m not going to,” said Butcher. “I’ve had some mouth-breathing knuckle draggers on Twitter at me probably since the Pakistan series suggesting that the only reason that Adil Rashid was in England’s side was because he had dark skin, or was a Muslim, or wasn’t a white guy.

“At one point I had to point out to a bloke that David Willey wasn’t playing in Adil Rashid’s place because he didn’t bowl leg-spin. Or at least, if he did I hadn’t noticed him practicing it.”

Rashid was previously been the victim of racist social media posts earlier this year. Yorkshire CCC announced it would block users posting offensive social media posts after they announced Rashid would make the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca with his family.

In the wake of Azeem Rafiq’s allegations that Michael Vaughan made racist comments to him and other non-white teammates during his time at Yorkshire, Rashid corroborated his claims.

On Rashid’s performances in England’s last three matches, Butcher said: “I am absolutely delighted. In fact, you know, he bowled magnificently in the New Zealand game as well. It was only after Glenn Phillips tagged him in his last over, but he should’ve had Phillips out had Mo [Moeen Ali] helped him out with that dolly at extra-cover. So in the last three games he’s really turned it on.

“The dip has returned. I thought he’d been a little flat through the early part of the tournament. The googly didn’t seem to have as much bite on it or at least he was favouring it a little bit more than the leg-break, and the leg-break went magnificently again today. So yeah, I mean he’s such a huge component. And don’t forget the catch he took, an absolute stunner diving to his right at short third man to get rid of Kohli off CJ.”

On Chris Jordan’s inclusion in the side following an injury to Mark Wood, Butcher poked sarcasm at claims that any England player would be selected on the basis of their race: “Another great return off him (Jordan), I’m surprised, you know, the only reason he’s playing in the side is because he’s one of the best death bowlers in the world and one of the greatest fielders to ever play the game – It might be the colour of his skin I’m not sure.”

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