International Cricket Council Ban on Pakistan's Tainted Trio Asif, Butt, Amir to Expire on September 1
The International Cricket Council banned the three Pakistan players after they were found guilty of various offences of corrupt behavior relating to the Lord's Test between England and Pakistan in August 2010.
There is good news for Pakistan's tainted trio - Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir and Salman Butt. The International Cricket Council on Wednesday confirmed that the sanctions against speedster Asif and former skipper Butt will expire at midnight on September 1. (Also read: Upcoming diplomatic talks can help Indo-Pakistan cricket, says PCB)
The players will be eligible to return to competitive cricket, at both domestic and international levels, on September 2 after fulfilling the specific conditions laid down by the independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal.
Young Amir, whose left-arm pace troubled many top batsmen, will be eligible to return to cricket at international level at the same time, following permission being granted to him to return to play domestic cricket in Pakistan earlier this year.
The three players were found guilty of various offences of corrupt behavior relating to the Lord's Test between England and Pakistan in August 2010 by the independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal on February 5, 2011, with their sanctions backdated to commence on September 2, 2010 (the date on which they were initially charged and provisionally suspended).
The Tribunal, headed by Michael Beloff, following a six-day hearing in Qatar had imposed a sanction of five years on Amir, seven years on Asif (of which the final two years were suspended on specified conditions) and 10 years on Butt (of which the final five years were suspended on specified conditions).
As with all players and other participants in cricket, all three players remain bound to comply with the ICC Anti-Corruption Code and the anti-corruption rules of all National Cricket Federations.