‘In India, we have examples of Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja’: Wahab Riaz after PCB axe Salman Butt from selection committee | Cricket News
Pakan men’s cricket team’s chief selector Wahab Riaz cited examples of Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja working in official roles despite being involved in match-fixing.
“There is no pressure on me. I had made a decision and I am revoking it. In India, we have examples of Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja,” Riaz told reporters.
“They are working in cricket now and there is no fuss. Azharuddin is president of one of the cricket associations and Jadeja was Afghanan’s batting consultant in the World Cup.”
“People were talking all sorts of stuff about me and Salman Butt.
“Therefore, I am reversing the decision and I have already spoken to Salman Butt and I have told him that he cannot be part of my team. Some media houses and people are resorting to propaganda.”
Former Pakan captain Salman Butt had admitted to spot-fixing in a Test match at Lord’s. He was banned from the sport for five years and even spent time in jail in England.
As captain, Butt had convinced pacers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif to bowl no-balls in return for a hefty payment in the Lord’s Test against England in 2010. After being convicted, Butt was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison but was released early.
Butt represented Pakan in 33 Tests, 78 ODIs and 24 T20Is. He was in the T20 World Cup winning squad in 2009. But his international career ended after the incident.
On Saturday, Prime Miner Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s office released a statement on the decision, which stated: “The caretaker PM took strict notice of the controversial player Salman Butt’s appointment in the selection committee. This controversial appointment was immediately canceled on the instructions of the Prime Miner. There is no shortage of talent in Pakan, the selection committee of players for a popular and favorite sport like cricket should also be uncontroversial. The PM directed to include undisputed and good reputation selectors in the selection committee of Pakan Cricket Board.”
