Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt to meet ICC ACU officials over his comeback efforts

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt is expected to meet officials of the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit soon regarding his efforts to make a comeback to domestic cricket after his ban ends in September.

A well-placed source in the Pakistan Cricket Board told PTI that the ICC anti-corruption unit had contacted Butt after he submitted a written statement to the PCB admitting his involvement and guilt in the spot-fixing scandal in England in 2010.

"Indications are that the ICC ACU officials will meet with Butt soon to discuss his statement and future course of action," the source said.

He said PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan had not raised the issue of giving some relaxation to Butt after his ban ends in September at the recent ICC executive board meeting in Barbados.

"But the ICC is now in touch with Butt," the source added.

After being pressurized by the PCB, Butt finally gave a statement prepared after taking legal advice in which he admitted his guilt in the spot-fixing scandal that saw Butt, Muhammad Aamir and Muhammad Asif all banned for a minimum five years in early 2011.

While Aamir is now free to resume international cricket once his ban ends in September, the story is different with Butt.

The ICC anti-corruption tribunal in 2011 had imposed a five-year ban on Butt and also a five year suspended ban. If Butt is unable to convince the ICC and PCB when his ban ends in September that he has undergone rehabilitation and is reformed and willing to work with them, his suspended ban can also be evoked.

"Butt is desperate to resolve this issue before the five year ban ends in September and he is also eager to resume playing domestic cricket," the source said.

The ICC granted Aamir special relaxation late last year to resume playing domestic cricket despite his ban also ending in September.