Mohammad Hafeez: “I told Wahab that Salman Butt’s past is tainted. He defamed the country and has no place in decision-making roles”
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Former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez opposed ex-captain Salman Butt becoming a selector, despite left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz asking him twice to approve Salman’s inclusion in the selection committee.
Recalling the incident, which took place in 2023, Hafeez felt that Salman had “no place in decision-making roles” due to the fact that he was involved in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal that shocked the cricketing world.
Despite Hafeez’s objection, Wahab named Salman a selector, which prompted Hafeez to escalate the matter with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). This ultimately resulted in Salman being removed from the selection panel.
“I told Wahab that Salman Butt’s past is tainted. He defamed the country and has no place in decision-making roles. When he sold the game and brought shame to the nation, did he think about loyalty then? Now we are calling him loyal? At this rate, he might even get the Nishan-e-Haider,” Hafeez said on Let’s Talk with Rabeea Khan as quoted by Khel Shel.
The Pakistan team just finished playing a home series against South Africa, where they drew the Test series 1-1 and won both the T20Is and ODIs 2-1.
The men in green are currently in action in a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, and hold a 1-0 lead.
Once the ODI series is done, Pakistan will face Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in a T20I tri-series from November 17 to 29.
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka ODI Series: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq
Reserves: Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem