Pakistan Cricket Board Must Not Hasten Return of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir: Shahid Afridi

Senior Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi says the PCB need to tread very carefully while deciding on return of tainted trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir to competitive cricket.

"I would only ask the Pakistan Cricket Board to take any decision on these players very carefully after giving it much thought," he told reporters during a visit to the Jinnah hospital. "No decision should be taken in haste since there is the future of Pakistan cricket and future generation of cricketers at stake here," he said.

Afridi was the captain for all three formats on the tour of England in 2010 but had resigned as captain and retired from Test cricket after the first test when the spot-fixing scandal took place. It was after Afridi's resignation and retirement that the PCB appointed Salman Butt to lead the team in the remaining Tests against Australia and England before the spot-fixing scandal occurred in the fourth Test at Lord's.

Afridi is said to have played a leading role in drawing the attention of the team management to the suspicious activities of some players. The all-rounder said Pakistan cricket had suffered a lot since the scandal and it took them time to regain their image and pride.

"I would just stay the Board should think hard and discuss everything before taking a decision on these players." The Chairman of the Board Shaharyar Khan and the head of the Executive Committee, Najam Sethi have already confirmed that many of the players including members of the Pakistan team are not comfortable with the idea of having the tainted trio sharing the dressing room with them.