2016 Domestic ODI Cup: Asif, Butt will return to action in January

Duo to play for WAPDA after PCB allows them to resume cricketing career

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has allowed the tainted left-hand batsman Salman Butt and right-arm fast-bowler Muhammad Asif to play in the domestic ODI cup which will start in January next year.

The decision has been taken with both players about to complete their rehabilitation in February 2016, following a five-years suspension from playing cricket.



"We have decided to allow them to play the one-day cup starting after the on-going first-class tournament in January," a PCB spokesman told ESPNcricinfo.

"By the end of Quaid-e-Azam trophy (the premier first-class tournament in Pakistan) they would have finished all of their rehab programmes and they will be free to resume their domestic cricket. The [one-day] tournament is slotted in the second week of January."

Both players were signed on by Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) after they became eligible to play all forms of cricket from September 2015 after serving a five-year ban from the International Cricket Council.



They are travelling with the team but have not participated in any of the games for WAPDA. So in essence, the served as a prevention measure which disallowed other teams from recruiting the players.

Meanwhile, the PCB accepted the ICC's decision to lift the bans in September, but they asked Asif and Butt to start from the lowest order and move their way up to the national team.

The third part of the tainted trio, Mohammad Amir, had admitted his guilt in the 2010 spot-fixing incident, unlike his other two partners. Amir was allowed to play domestic cricket from January due to an amendment in the ICC's code of conduct which fast-tracked his return.

Amir is knocking on the door of recall: Shahryar Khan

The change stated that banned players will be allowed to feature in domestic matches a few months prior to the end of their ban if their ban conditions and rehabilitation requirements are met.

On Thursday, Amir return’s to the national squad was backed the PCB chairman Shahryar Khan who said he was under consideration keeping in view his current performances in the on-going Bangladesh Premier League.



Head coach Waqar Younis also seconded the chairman saying that Amir deserved a second chance.

The story originally appeared on ESPNcricinfo