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Misbah puts Butt Test return on the table

Pakistan skipper says former captain is as dangerous a batsman as he was before copping a five-year ban for spot-fixing

Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq has opened the door to a return for disgraced opener Salman Butt, who was jailed for 30 months in 2011 for his role in a spot-fixing scandal.

Butt, 31, played the most recent of his 33 Tests in 2010 against England at Lord's after which he was suspended along with fast-bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif for conspiring to deliberately bowl no balls during the match.

Having served a five-year ban, the former captain returned to domestic cricket at the start of the year and his early form indicates he's lost none of the ability that saw him score more than 5000 runs at international level between 2003 and 2010.

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The left-handed opener peeled off scores of 135, 99no, 6, 30, 81no, 95 and 90 in the space of just 12 days during the National One-Day Cup in January as his Water and Power Development Authority side narrowly missed the semi-finals.

And Misbah says an international return is a distinct possibility.

"We have a settled line up between Nos 3 and 7 but the opening slot is not as consistent as the rest of the order," Misbah told ESPNCricinfo of the make-up of the Test side ahead of their series in England in July and August.

Image Id: ~/media/DE99A483BFEB42BD9D62DC48B83EF2A3 Image Caption: Misbah (left) and Salman Butt during a training session in 2009 // Getty

"There are issues and we are looking at a couple more options including Shan Masood and Salman Butt.

"Salman is playing well and overall I didn't see any such difference since he left. He is a good prospect and he has also scored ample runs after his comeback.

"Watching him in the nets he looks good, but now we have to see how well he will do in the upcoming tournament (the Pakistan Cup)."

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Any plan for Butt to return for the England tour, however, may be scuppered by the UK Home Office, who determines that anyone sentenced to between 12 months and four years in jail cannot return to the UK until 10 years after the end of their sentence.

But given Butt is still just 31 years old - he made his Test debut aged 18 in 2003 - his career appears far from over.

Fellow banned player Amir has already made his return to international cricket having been welcomed back into the Pakistan side in January. Asif, 33, returned alongside Butt in domestic cricket in January but is yet to produce the form that guided him to 106 wickets in 23 Tests between 2005 and 2010.

Image Id: ~/media/D7589113F16847ABB218A60723D6F982 Image Caption: Amir, Butt and Asif during the infamous 2010 Test at Lord's // Getty

Butt met with then chief Pakistan selector Haroon Rasheed last month to discuss the prospect of him returning to the national side, with the Press Trust of India reporting the Pakistan team have no issue with welcoming their former captain back into the fold.

Despite reports of opposition from Shahid Afridi, who recently resigned as Pakistan's T20 captain, Butt is hopeful his contrition would lead to forgiveness from his countrymen.

"I know what I did was wrong and I have served punishment for it. I am a changed person and I have apologised to the entire nation, PCB and the team members including Afridi for what happened in 2010," he told PTI.

"Afridi is my senior and I have apologised to him whenever I met him.

"I am mentally prepared for a comeback. The rest is up to the selectors. But I am not keeping any high hopes."