The ICC, recently in a statement said that the bans for the tainted Pakistani trio of Mohammad Asif, Salman Butt and Muhammad Aamir will expire on the 1st of September. This clearly means that the trio can be eligible to play international cricket from the 2nd of September this year. While fans back home in Pakistan are ecstatic regarding the return of their heroes, the ICC as a whole has been bashed for its lenient policy towards the tainted trio. It must be remembered that the trio was banned for deliberately being involved in a case of spot-fixing during Pakistan’s 2010 tour to England.
Asif and Butt sounded like relieved men, with overweight monkeys off their backs. “I am a relieved man,” said Asif. “People should accept the fact that we have completed our punishment, relieved by the same body that banned us. So you can’t give more punishment for one crime. I committed a mistake, for which I have asked for forgiveness from the Almighty and have also said sorry to the nation.”
Aamir had marked his return to competitive cricket earlier this year as he participated in a domestic T20 tournament. Asif and Butt now are negotiating with the domestic teams for the upcoming T20 competition.
“Thanks to the Almighty who has given me another lifeline and I got another opportunity to make a comeback. I am also thankful to the ICC that it gave me an opportunity to start again,” Butt said. “The PCB has also cooperated with me for quite some time and I am thankful to them too.”
“The moment I get permission to play domestic cricket, I will play. It’s true that if you don’t play competitive cricket for some time you get rusty but with few matches it will go too. But it depends on how much the player is committed. I think if you look at me personally there’s quite a change in me. In last five years, the only thing I did most is thinking. It’s impossible to get back the best part of my life, which was wasted, but I have learnt a lot in those years. Only time will tell how much I have changed. I don’t know if I will be able to achieve the same peak as a cricketer but what I will ensure is to become a good human being and a good cricketer.”
When quizzed about the harsh responses of people on his comeback, Asif said, “What if people shout and call me a cheat? I am ready for that because I have taken every tough thing in the last five years on the chin, so let the fans show their anger. I have made a resolution: to change people’s opinions and not to make the same mistake again.”