ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has removed former captain Salman Butt as a consultant member to chief selector Wahab Riaz following widespread criticism. Butt, along with Kamran Akmal and Iftikhar Anjum, was appointed as a consultant to the chief selector for the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand.
The decision to include Salman Butt, who served a 30-month prison sentence and a 10-year ban from the ICC for his involvement in the spot-fixing scandal in 2011, faced strong opposition from former cricketers. Concerns were raised about the potential negative impact on Pakistan cricket and its reputation.
Chief selector Wahab Riaz, addressing a press conference, stated, “Salman Butt’s appointment as a consultant was under consideration. Now we have decided after thinking about this, that we are not appointing him.”
Salman Butt’s Appointment as Consultant to Pakistan Chief Selector
Wahab Riaz emphasized that the decision was solely his, and Salman Butt’s role was intended for seeking opinions, not official selection duties. He clarified that Salman Butt was not on any official PCB panel and had been included due to his cricketing knowledge and experience in covering domestic cricket.
The move is part of a broader restructuring in the team’s management, including the removal of Babar Azam as captain, with Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz assuming coaching and chief selector roles, respectively. The changes also saw new captains appointed for Test and T20I cricket, with Shan Masood and Shaheen Afridi taking charge.
Additionally, Sohail Tanveer was named the head of the junior selection committee, while Mohammad Yousuf was entrusted with coaching Pakistan’s U19 team.
