Salman Butt optimistic about return to international cricket

The 31-year-old is currently playing for Lahore Whites in the ongoing National T20 Cup

Opening batsman Salman Butt is confident that he will return to the international scene again and represent Pakistan as his persistent form continues in the domestic tournaments.

The 31-year-old, who is currently playing for Lahore Whites in the ongoing National T20 Cup, said he was hopeful about his return to the national side after his ban from the 2010 spot-fixing case ended last year.

Talking to the media in Multan, the former captain said, “Ever since my comeback [in the domestic circuit], I have performed well in tournaments.”



He added: “As a player, one needs to work hard and maintain his form and fitness.”

However, Butt believes that his fate ultimately rests in the hands of the national selection committee.

“In the end, it all depends on selectors,” he said. “They know what the team requires and subsequently decide who has to be given a chance.”

The Lahore-born has played seven matches in the National T20 Cup so far and has already amassed 295 runs, making three half-centuries in the process.



The International Cricket Council lifted sanctions on Butt in September last year, making him eligible for national and international matches. He played his first domestic match for Water and Power Development Authority in the national one-day tournament on January 10, 2016, where he scored a brilliant 143-ball 135, which included 14 boundaries.

Talking about the selection of Umar Akmal for Pakistan’s T20I series against the West Indies, the left-handed batsman said that his Lahore Whites teammate deserved to be selected for the upcoming matches.

“Umar has scored more runs than me and has played many match-winning innings,” he said. “So the national team needed him, and that’s why he was called up.”