Lahore Qalandar rope in Salman Butt as replacement of Mohammad Hafeez

Lahore Qalandars have signed up Salman Butt to replace their injured captain Mohammad Hafeez for PSL season 4. Hafeez who injured his thumb while fielding a straight drive of Colin Ingram, will be out for 4 to 6 weeks.

Salman Butt has been playing domestic cricket since 2016 however, has failed to return to top level cricket. This will be his 1^st high profile tournament since his return from the ban for spot fixing. AB de Villiers will continue as captain for the Qalandars.

Hafeez’s injury would be a major blow for Lahore as they had made him a central part of their strategy to change their fortunes after three dismal seasons. He was involved in the team building process as well. He is however expected to undergo surgery in the coming days and it will take 4 to 6 weeks for him to recover.

Butt’s has publically questioned franchises for not picking him for the T20 league. He has been prolific in the domestic T20s albeit at a slightly slowish strike rate.

It remains to be seen how fans react to his inclusion. Butt’s ban also ended with Amir and Asif after serving 5 years of a total ban and going through the PCB’s rehabilitation program. While, Amir has been reintegrated in the Pakistan side, Butt has struggled to fight off the negative perception around him.

This will finally give him a chance to allay fears and showcase that he is good enough to play at this level. PSL continues tomorrow, after a two day gap.