A file photo of Salman Butt. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt Thursday pleaded for a revival of his cricket career, frozen by a long ban for spot-fixing in the infamous Lord's Test against England in 2010.
The 28-year-old was banned for 10 years, with the possibility of five suspended, for his role in arranging no balls to order in the match, but will appeal against the sentence at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Friday.
Butt, who was jailed by a British court over the scandal, said the suspension was a career-ending punishment.
"It may be easy for some people to say that a five-year ban from cricket is all right but what they don't realise is that for a sportsman like me this is like a lifetime ban," he said in a statement issued by his lawyer.
"My whole family and my life is disturbed."
Butt and pace men Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Aamir were banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2011 after being found guilty of deliberately contriving no-balls.
The now defunct British newspaper the News of the World exposed the players in a sting operation involving their agent Mazhar Majeed who struck a deal for 150,000 pounds with an undercover reporter.
Aamir, banned for five years, pleaded guilty in court and decided not to appeal against the ICC ban, while Asif will appear at the CAS on Thursday to contest his ban of seven years, with the possibility of two suspended.
Butt, whose wife gave birth to their second son on the day he was jailed by the British court, said he wanted another opportunity to play for Pakistan.
"Cricket is my life and every single day that has passed has been so painful because I have not been able to play. All I want is an opportunity to get back into cricket whilst I am still young and I can still play well."
Butt's lawyer Yasin Patel said the ban was harsh.
"We are appealing the sanctions that were imposed upon us and they should not have been so high," Patel was quoted in the statement.
The ICC will be represented by their legal firm Bird and Bird along with the head of their legal department.
COMMENTS (11)
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@shakeel: Two wrongs don't make a right.
He is a good example for the new players. He should be banned for ever
all these guys have done a v. big crime, i agree, but everybody deserves a second chance in life, if our politicians can have a protection of National Reconciliation Ordinance,,why not poor cricket fellas,, give all of them a second chance, they have disgraced the nation, but there are many people in much better positions are disgracing our country, they are just cricketers,,
Accept your mistake and become a "cricket analyst". That'ss the best option out there for you. The shame you have caused our team and nation, this is the best advice for you and your peers.
Let them play in PSL.
Only M. Amir should be allowed to play again as he was a young duped into this mess by Asif and Butt. Such a shame however. With the bowling attack of Gul, Amir, Asif and Junaid, no team in the world would have been able to face Pakistan.. Such a shame.
@ Omer Khan . Well said
“My whole family and my life is disturbed.” – te ae pehle sochna si"
“My whole family and my life is disturbed.” - te ae pehle sochna si
This criminal should never even be talking about cricket let alone playing on a cricket pitch again.
Find a new profession Mr. Your greed ruined your life, there is nobody but you, yourself to blame.
Even if he has his ban turned over, can't see him playing in Pakistan due to emergence of Nasir alongside Hafeez. He won't be signed by any league around the world either so he is just wasting his time and money. As a greedy cricket fan, i would love to see Aamer, Asif and Junaid bowling. wow what a terrible sight that would have been for the batting sides around the world. Any one remember how Kallis and Amla were made to look kids by Asif when we last toured them in 2007 but still they did a crime and have to suffer for that.