PHOTO COURTESY: SPORTZWIKI
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is all set to plan a rehabilitation programme for Salman Butt and Muhammad Asif in order to reintegrate them back into cricket.
As part of the programme, it will be mandatory for the two players to be a part of an anti-corruption educational venture, have sessions with a psychologist, and participate in grade cricket for a start, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Although PCB has accepted the ICC’s decision to lift the ban on the players by September 2, however, it said that the two will not be allowed to participate in the domestic T20 cup scheduled to take place in Rawalpindi next month. Instead, they will have to work their way from the bottom and demonstrate their form and fitness before making it to the higher levels of the game.
Read: Cannot deny Asif, Salman and Amir a second chance: Justice Qayyum
As part of the educational programme, the tainted duo will have to visit all domestic regions, across four provinces of Pakistan and spread awareness regarding corruption. They will do so through lecturing the players, coaches and officials at the national level on anti-corruption.
"ICC requires us to put these boys under a programme in which they address the players and lecture them on anti-corruption," said the PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan.
"They should tell the players at all levels about their misconduct and the disgrace they brought into cricket. Meanwhile, we are allowing them to play club cricket and grade 2 cricket, the same policy we adopted with Amir," he added.
Read: Amir taking things step by step for Pakistan return
"They also have to see a psychologist, and by playing grade 2 cricket have to prove their ability and fitness. They can't assume they will pick up where they left off five years ago. After all, they haven't played cricket for last five years. We have to see many factors, including how age has affected them. At the moment they cannot walk back into contention for top cricket, they have to prove their ability to make their way into first-class cricket."
Legally the pair can’t be barred from playing once the ICC lifts the ban in September, but their participation can be limited to lower levels of the sport while they complete the rehabilitation programme, which could take several months. Butt, who turns 31 in October, and Asif, who will celebrate his 33 birthday in December, were geared up to join Lahore Blue’s in the upcoming national T20 cup.
"We will tell the region too they cannot play until they prove their ability at the low level," said Shaharyar.
"They can't be allowed to play any national championship but can only be allowed to play the second-class cricket. They can't walk back in the system with the reputation they had five years ago.
"The point to understand is the public must accept them, and more importantly the other present players - many players expressed to us that they will not play with them. So this rehabilitation will eventually help them to be accepted in the dressing room and in the public.
"We have been in disgrace these last many years, and it's a big stigma on Pakistan cricket."
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