'Bring A Chairman From Some Other Country Too' – Salman Butt Takes A Jibe At PCB For Appointing Overseas Mentors In PJL

Former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt slammed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja for appointing overseas players as mentors in the country’s junior level cricket. 

PCB, recently, announced South Africa’s spinner Imran Tahir and New Zealand batting all-rounder Colin Munro as team mentors for the inaugural season of the Pakistan Junior League (PJL). 

Imran Tahir, Colin Munro roped in as mentors for PJL season 1

Tahir, who was born in Lahore, represented the Pakistan U-19 side in the age level World Cup in 1998. He played in a team that also included veteran Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik. 

Tahir, however, played for South Africa’s senior national team in international cricket in 20 Tests, 107 ODIs and 38 T20I matches. He has also played in several PSL matches, his latest stint was with Multan Sultans in the 2022 season.

Munro has also represented Karachi Kings and Islamabad United in the PSL. The duo will join Shahid Afridi, Malik and former West Indies skipper Daren Sammy as the mentors of the six-team tournament.

There are no players who can mentor youngsters in Pakistan: Salman Butt

Butt, who played 135 international matches for Pakistan, was asked whether Pakistan lacked in local talent for mentoring. The 37-year-old took a jibe at PCB chairman Ramiz Raja for preparing drop-in pitches for Test series, referring to the Australia series in March. 

Butt noted that when the board imports soli from other countries to make pitches then there could be no expectations to higher mentors from Pakistan. 

“There are no players who can mentor youngsters in Pakistan. There is no one. We don’t even have soil to put on wickets in Pakistan, and you are talking about mentors. You have to bring drop-in pitches from different country, soil from different country, coaches and mentors from different countries. Bring a chairman from some other country too, no? There’s nothing to talk about on this,” Butt said on his official YouTube channel.

Pakistan’s legendary cricketer Javed Miandad will look after the entire tournament as PJL’s mentor. However, the board is due to appoint the sixth and final mentor of the junior league.

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