No reason to prevent Salman Butt, Muhammad Asif from playing again for Pakistan, says Waqar Younis

New Delhi: After serving their respective bans for an alleged spot-fixing scandal in 2010, Pakistan's tainted duo of Salman Butt and Muhammad Asif made their first appearance in a competitive cricket match after being five years in the wilderness and also serving jail terms.

The tainted duo's return in the National ODI Championship comes after four months since their bans ended. The Pakistan Cricket Board had kept them on hold, making it compulsory for them to first complete a rehabilitation/reintegration program.

Pakistan national coach Waqar Younis stated on Sunday that if Butt and Asif performed well in the Championship and showed form and fitness there was no reason to prevent them from playing again for Pakistan.

"Why should anything be different for Butt an Asif? All three of them made the same mistake and all three have completed their punishments. So I don't see having different conditions for them," he said.

Mohammed Amir who has been drafted back to the Pakistan squad was also part of that shameful 2010 spot-fixing scandal. He was allowed by the ICC to resume playing domestic cricket six months before his ban expired last year.

Pakistan play New Zealand in a T20 and ODI series.

(With inputs from PTI)