In-form Butt hopeful of second chance

Pakistan batsman Salman Butt isn’t quite sure if he will be considered for national selection just yet despite a sparkling show in the National T20 Cup, but hopes to keep knocking on the doors by the sheer weight of his performances.

Butt, 32, marked his return from a five-year spot-fixing ban in September 2015 by scoring 536 at an average of 107 in National One-Day Cup last year. In the subsequent ODI tournament in April-May 2016, he managed just 135 runs in five innings. In the shortest format he hit form again, finishing the National T20 Cup as the second-highest run-getter with 350 runs in eight innings.

“Since my comeback, every time I’ve done well, it has given me a good feeling,” Butt, who is set to return to first-class cricket in October, told ESPNcricinfo. “I want to carry on with these performances till I get selected, that is the ultimate goal. I don’t know if the board really want me or not, but I have two good performances. Sometimes, if the team is playing well, you can’t be fitted in, so unless someone has a bad run or if the team needs to strengthen a specific area, it will be tough. Let’s see which door opens for me, but my job is to keep fit and keep scoring runs.”

Butt was 26 when he was banned in August 2010. Until then, he had played 33 Tests, 78 ODIs and 24 T20Is. Given the game has moved forward significantly following a number of tweaks to the limited-overs rules, Butt’s style of batting and his strike rate could come into question should he be considered for …

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