Salman Butt opens up on the controversial bus fight with Shahid Afridi
Salman Butt and Shahid Afridi (Image Source: Twitter)
During 2007-08, a controversial ‘Bus’ incident took place between Shahid Afridi and Salman Butt which was shared by former Pakistan legend Shoaib Akhtar. Akhtar shared this incident and told that the Team manager, Talat Ali also lost his cool for that incident. Afridi was also asked to return home from the camp.
However, Shoaib Akhtar fully supported Afridi regarding this. Now, speaking on his own YouTube channel, former Pakistan batter Salman Butt said that it was close for him to get selected for the World T20 in India in 2019. But, Afridi restricted it.
“These things should not be shared publicly”: Salman Butt
Salman Butt said that Afridi was only his senior teammate, not a friend. He said: “Every team has at least one such incident to tell. He (Afridi) was my senior. He was not a friend but treated me well at times. We had good exchanges too. But sometimes a bit of misunderstanding happens between two players. These things should not be shared publicly,”
Shoaib Akhtar shared the same incident earlier in a TV program ‘Game On Hai’. He said: “It so happened that we were returning on the bus from training and I was sitting with Salman Butt upfront. Afridi came inside and asked Butt to vacate the seat to which Talat lost his cool and questioned why Butt should leave his seat,”
“Afridi also exchanged some words with Talat. Later that night Shoaib Malik told me they had decided to send Afridi back home because of the incident. I then took up the issue with Talat Sahab and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB),” he concluded.
Akhtar also added: “I think Shahid Afridi has written less in his book about the harsh treatment he received from senior players during his playing days. I witnessed some of it with my own eyes and totally agree with him.”
Speaking about his career, Salman Butt played 135 International matches where he scored 5209 runs at an average of 33.17. He resumed playing domestic cricket after serving a five-year ban over the 2010 spot-fixing scandal.
