Butt Cleared of Any Dubious Activities in All-Stars T20 League

The T20 League in UAE was neither sanctioned nor recognised by the ICC or Emirates Cricket Board.

Salman Butt was banned in early 2011 after the spot-fixing scandal blew up after the fourth test at Lords between Pakistan and England

(Photo: Reuters)

Tainted former Pakistan captain, Salman Butt has been cleared of any involvement in dubious activities during the Ajman All-Stars T20 league tournament which had come under the scanner of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Anti-Corruption unit.

Butt, who had served a five-year ban for spot-fixing, was asked questions by ICC's Anti-Corruption unit relating to his level of involvement in the event.

“They asked me some questions and I cooperated with them completely. They were satisfied with what I had to say, and I have now got clearance from any involvement in any dubious happenings in the tournament in Ajman,” Butt told PTI.

The opener said he had been concerned since the ICC first announced it was investigating some dubious activities in the league which was neither sanctioned nor recognised by the ICC or its affiliated unit, Emirates Cricket Board.

It was very worrying for me given what I have been through in the past due to my own blunders. Since serving the ban and returning to cricket I have tried to restrict my socialising and keeping away from off the field activities to keep a clean chit.

Salman Butt

Butt, who was banned in early 2011 after the spot-fixing scandal blew up after the fourth test at Lords between Pakistan and England, said he was glad the ICC was looking into the matter.

“Thankfully I played just two matches and I was not in that particular match which is under investigation. I don't even know which teams are involved. But whatever the ICC asked me I told them honestly.”

He said he had conveyed to the ICC sleuths his feeling about the league and how he went there to play in it as a professional.

“I played just two matches because I felt things were not right in the event. But what surprised me is that the players who took part in that dubious match don't even appear to be proper professional cricketers as most of them I saw on TV were wearing joggers.”

Butt said some other Pakistani players apparently also played for some teams in the league, but they also didn’t feature in the dubious match under scrutiny.