Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has been roped in by Singapore Cricket Association in the role of a consulting head coach for the national side for the 2022 season. He will be assisted by local support staff with former Pakistan women's team trainer Jamal Hussain, who will join the team as fielding coach and trainer.This will be Butt's first major coaching job after calling off his playing career in 2020. He was reintegrated into the system in Pakistan in January 2016 after serving a five-year ban for his part in a spot-fixing scandal in 2010.
Despite hitting form on the domestic circuit for a number of seasons, reselection for the Pakistan national team, despite being close, never quite materialised, leading to Butt's decision to retire, and seek out a commentating and analysis role. His first challenge will be the T20 World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe in July.The left-handed batsman was part of the Pakistan team from 2003 to 2010, when a spot-fixing scandal erupted on their tour of England.Butt, captain at the time, was charged with orchestrating deliberate no-balls from his pace bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif during a Lord’s Test in return for money.SCA chief executive Saad Khan Janjua said he hoped Butt’s abilities and experience would inspire the Singapore players ahead of the qualifiers."Butt is an accomplished player with experience that can push the players to the next level," Saad was cited as saying in The Straits Times newspaper.
