Butt and Amir on TV as pundits during World T20
ARY is running promos of Butt with the tagline “Stopped from playing, but not from speaking”. -Photo by AFP
KARACHI: Shamed Pakistan cricket stars Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir, both serving long bans for spot-fixing, have turned television pundits for the World Twenty20 tournament which starts Tuesday.
Both have been banned from cricket for at least five years by the sport’s governing body for their role in arranging deliberate no-balls to order during the 2010 Lord’s Test against England.
Butt, captain in the infamous Lord’s Test, appeared on the ARY news channel during Pakistan’s five wicket win over arch-rivals India in a warm-up match in Colombo on Monday, while Amir made an appearance on Express News the same day.
Butt controversially did a stint as pundit for Pakistan’s Channel Five during last year’s 50-over World Cup, but this is the first time 20-year-old Amir has appeared as an expert.
The channels said both players will give expert comments throughout the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, and ARY ran promos with Butt with the tagline:
“Stopped from playing, but not from speaking.”
In addition to their bans from the International Cricket Council (ICC) Butt, Amir and Mohammad Asif were jailed by an English court for contriving to bowl no-balls with their agent Mazhar Majeed during the Lord’s Test.
The ICC last year reacted sharply to Butt’s television role.
“The ICC Board, having a zero tolerance attitude towards corruption, expressed disappointment at the decision by a Pakistan television channel, which has no relationship with the ICC, to employ the suspended Mr Salman Butt as a studio pundit during the World Cup,” then-ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat had said.
The ICC have not yet reacted to the new TV roles.
Express News channel said they had received mixed reactions from the fans, with some criticising the banned players’ appearance but some appreciating their new roles.
They may get a lot of money BUT they will be remembered for what they did.
Such a shameful act by ARY and our denigrated media. What are they trying to pose show to the world and Pakistanis that we are corrupt country and moreover promote corruption. We should all strive to boycott such shameful act.
Well said ahmad butt, if the politicians of the country can come on tv why not the 2!
well politicians are not banned by any Internatinational Court or body
What a sorry state of affairs! Our country and nation is going down the drain. I feel ashamed as I am the one to be blamed too – I have done nothing, as a citizen, to address these shortcomings. Unless we as a nation stand up, this mockery will continue. And I am not merely referring to cricketing affairs here, everything needs a fresh look.
I agree
They should not be allowed on television as a pundit. They should not be portrayed as role models. These are corrupt cricketers and they were jailed by English courts. These channels have no moral.
The enrollment of the stinted players as pundits for the twenty20 matches by the ARY and Express channels is an attempt to project spot fixers as role models for the younger generation. The media has simply become unbridled and would do anything to win over cheap popularity. These guys have brought shame to nation, have lost credibility, and cannot be trusted make honest and unbiased comments.
disgraceful way of catching audience. Shame on ARY & I hope people resist their coverage
The enrollment of the stinted players as pundits for the twenty20 matches by the ARY and Express channels is an attempt to project spot fixers as role models for the younger generation. The media has simply become unbridled and would do anything to win over cheap popularity. These guys has brought shame to nation, have lost credibility, and cannot be trusted make honest and unbiased comments.
They show corrupt and jailed politicians anyway so what the difference anyways. Pakistan should be used to such antics, i think its kind of too late to talk about cleaning corruption.
Responsible journalism,or advertising $$?.what kind of message is being sent to the youth of Pakistan and to the rest of the Cricket world?.And then we complain that the world does not treat us well.Butt & Amir, Cricket experts, give me a break- given our long and glorious Cricket history, I am sure there are many ex.cricketers with knowledge and integrity who will do a much better job
Amir is an expert? Perhaps these 3 should give their expert advice on how to get caught and be jailed.
Well said Iqbal!!!
“but this is the first time 20-year-old Amir has appeared as an expert” Does he know the spelling of Cricket.