Salman Butt removed as Pakistan cricket’s selection consultant by PCB

Just 1 day after being included in the national selection panel, tainted former Pakistan captain Salman Butt was removed as selection consultant, chief selector Wahab Riaz confirmed in a press conference on Saturday.

'As a chief selector, it's my decision as to who will work with me and whose support I need. But people started discussing nepotism and dosti, due to which I am reverting this decision. I have already spoken to Salman Butt and told him that he cannot be a part of my team,' said Wahab in the press conference.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had included Butt in the national selection panel along with former teammates Kamran Akmal and Rao Iftikhar Anjum as consultant members ahead of Pakistan's five-match T20I series against New Zealand next year.

Wahab said that he had to reverse his decision to appoint Butt after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) faced backlash over picking him.

“I think some people perhaps started running an agenda because they wanted to cast dirt on the cricket board and extract personal benefit out of insulting PCB. Since I am a part of this organization, I didn't want any such thing to happen, especially due to my decision, so I took it back," Wahab added.

The 39-year-old made a successful return to cricket in 2016 after serving a five-year ban for spot-fixing.

Butt was suspended for five years for his role in spot-fixing during the Pakistan and England Test match in August 2010.

After returning to cricket in 2016, Butt enjoyed a lot of success as a batter and captain in domestic competitions but was never considered for the national team again even though his partner in crime, Muhammad Amir was fast-tracked back into the Pakistan side in 2016 by the board.

Butt, a former opener, was last month hired for commentary assignments by the PCB for domestic competitions and is currently busy in the National T20 Championship.