Misbah-ul-Haq Said 'Yaar, Meri Koi Sunta Hi Nahi Hai': Ex-Pakistan Captain Reveals Stunning Conversations With Misbah-ul-Haq, Inzamam-ul-Haq

Salman Butt, a former captain of Pakistan, made many efforts to play for his country again after his suspension for match-fixing was overturned in 2015. All, however, turned out to be a failure. Butt did have an outstanding domestic cricket career in Pakistan. He participated in the National One Day Cup in 2016 and scored 536 runs in seven games.

In the T20 Cup the following year, Butt and Kamran Akmal combined for a 207-run opening stand. Butt finished with the most runs in the Quaid-e-Azam One Day Cup in 2018–19, however, he wasn’t selected for the national team. 

When domestic cricket resumed in Pakistan after the Covid-19 blackout, Butt eventually withdrew his name from the Qaid-e-Azam Trophy, stating that he realises he doesn’t “have a future in Pakistan.” 

Salman Butt Discusses His Attempt To Return To Pakistan National Team

In an interview with ARY News conducted nearly two years later, Butt spoke up about the experience and discussed his discussions regarding a potential return to Pakistan with former national captains who are now selectors Misbah-ul-Haq and Inzamam-ul-Haq. Butt said that none of the two ever gave him a suitable response. 

“Everyone said that it was the management’s decision. When Misbah was captain, I talked to him and he said, ‘yaar meri koi sunta hi nahi hai.’ When he was chief selector, I met him again.

He told me to perform in the department cricket. I scored 905 runs in 9 matches. I called him twice and he didn’t answer. Then I left it. I realised my performances weren’t getting valued,” Butt said. 

“I asked him (Inzamam) a lot of times, but never received a satisfying answer. Sometimes, I was told, ‘yaar tum kisi bade se sifaarish karao’. But I didn’t do that.” 

Butt responded in a pretty direct manner when asked if referrals are effective in Pakistani cricket. “If he’s saying, it must be true. It wasn’t the case when I was captain,” he said. 

Butt last played for a professional team in the Pakistan Super League for the Lahore Qalandars in March 2020. He was hired in May 2022 to serve as the Singapore men’s cricket team’s consulting coach. 

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