Long wait for Pakistani trio Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt are over as long five year ban imposed by International Cricket Council (ICC) has ended today (Wednesday).
The trio were banned from playing any form of cricket due to spot fixing in 2010.
Today they will join left-arm quick Mohammad Amir, whose own ban was relaxed by the ICC six months ago, in being free to restart their careers.
They were suspended for arranging no-balls to order during a Test match in England, as part of a complex betting scam uncovered by a tabloid newspaper sting that rocked cricket and also saw all three and their disgraced agent Mazhar Majeed serve time in jail.
Batsman Butt, now 30, had captained Pakistan to Test victories over Australia and England and looked set for a long period as the team’s leader before his career crashed to a halt.
Asif, who will be 33 in December, was already considered one of the finest exponents of swing bowling in the world and appeared set to become yet another Pakistani fast-bowling great until his suspension.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced both players must restart their careers at club level but both may face serious opposition among officials and the country’s cricket-mad public.
