“Ex-Pakistan Skipper Salman Butt Criticizes Mohammed Shami’s ‘Dirty Hit’ on Inzamam-ul-Haq”

Indian cricket team fast bowler Mohammed Shami recently commented in an interview that Pakistan should enhance their selection process and avoid making it a “family team” based on personal relationships. These remarks were not well-received by former Pakistan cricket team captain Salman Butt, who believed Shami’s comments were aimed at Inzamam-ul-Haq, implying that Inzamam influenced his nephew Imam-ul-Haq’s selection during his tenure as chief selector. Butt criticized Shami’s comments, calling them “wrong” and a “dirty hit” on Inzamam.

“Pakistan should not pick teams based on relations and friendships. Mohammed Shami’s comments were targeted towards Inzamam-ul-Haq. He targeted Inzamam by speaking about Pakistan picking their team based on personal relations, and I think this is wrong. This is wrong because if you look at Imam’s record, he came into the Pakistan team on the basis of his performance. He was also dropped when he failed. Shami’s remarks were below the belt and he shouldn’t have said such things,” Butt stated on YouTube.

“Yes, there was a controversy, which should’ve been avoided. A lot of people made statements, Inzamam also said something, Rohit Sharma also clarified, and the topic was over. But to say things about selecting players just because they are relatives is a dirty hit. Such things don’t suit Mohammed Shami. He is a renowned bowler, like how Inzamam was a renowned captain,” Butt added.

Earlier, during an episode of Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast on YouTube, Shami had some advice for the Pakistan cricket team and its selectors. “I don’t understand why people find it necessary to target others. Improve your selection, and send a good team, they can do it, the talent is there. Do one thing, make it a family team if you want to run the team based on personal relations,” he said.