Former Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt is set to make his Pakistan Super League debut after being called up to Lahore Qalandars’ squad as an injury replacement for their captain Mohammad Hafeez, who was ruled out of the season with a thumb fracture.
Butt was one of the three players banned and imprisoned following the 2010 spot-fixing scandal, and the PSL will be the most prominent tournament in which he has featured since he returned. His selection appears to have been well-received by current Pakistan players, with many tweeting him messages of good luck.
Congratulations @im_SalmanButt well deserved go well ??? https://t.co/Bp0w6kPX87
— Azhar Ali (@AzharAli_) February 19, 2019
One notable player to do so is another former captain Azhar Ali. He was leader of Pakistan’s ODI side when Mohammad Amir, another of the banned trio, returned to the fold, and offered to resign in disagreement over his inclusion.
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Butt’s form in List A cricket since returning from his suspension has been excellent, with the left-hander averaging over 50, and there have even been occasional calls for him to make a return to the national side. His recent average in T20 cricket is similarly high, though his strike-rate of 112.83 since his ban is low by current standards.
