Pakistan board halts early return for Butt, Asif

Pakistan cricket authorities set out a path for spot-fixing convicts Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif to return to the international game, but effectively ruled out any chance of them playing in next month's national event

Lahore: Pakistan cricket authorities set out a path for spot-fixing convicts Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif to return to the international game, but effectively ruled out any chance of them playing in next month's national event.


Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt 

Butt and Asif attended a lecture from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officer on vigilence and corruption as the first step in a rehabilitation process towards playing at domestic level.

"PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan told AFP: "Under the process they will have to attend lectures, accept guilt at various forums, show remorse and give lectures to future players."

PCB said the players will not be able to use the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and will be barred from practising with players from the national team. In 2011, the International Cricket Council (ICC) banned Butt, Asif and Mohammad Amir for five years over a spot-fixing case happened during Pakistan's tour to England a year earlier.

The three players — along with their agent Mazhar Majeed — were charged and later jailed for arranging deliberate no-balls in return for money during the Lord's Test against England.

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