Faced with the task of being the legendary Saeed Anwar’s replacement, Salman Butt shall draw comparisons with the silky opener. Equally gifted with wristwork, early testament of Butt talent was witnessed by his inclusion in the Pakistani U-19 World Cup squad when as young as 16.
Impressive performances with domestic team Lahore Whites and the Pakistan-A side saw an 18 year old Butt handed his international Test debut against a touring Bangladesh in the autumn of 2003, in which he failed to impress. It went worse on his ODI debut against West Indies a year later when dismissed for a duck. As the year progressed, so did Butt’s displays with a half-century at home to Sri Lanka and a first ODI century at India in Kolkata.
In his Test recall on tour to Australia in 2004, Butt faltered in the first test at Perth. A formidable 70 in Melbourne showed spark. Yet only 20, he followed that maiden Test half-century with a maiden Test ton in Sydney.
His second test century came in Multan against England, on the back of a 74 in the first innings, the first time that Butt crossed the half-century mark on both innings of a Test. It took Butt 4 years to record another Test century. He remained a regular in the ODI side, in spite of scoring equivalent numbers of fifties and ducks at one point. Poor Test form (owing to a susceptible defense) saw him dropped in place of Khurram Manzoor in Pakistan’s solitary Test series in 2008 against Sri Lanka. He returned in 2009, to tour Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Impressive Test performances in England (as a neutral venue) against the Aussies led to Butt replacing the retiring Shahid Afridi as captain in 2010. He led Pakistan to a victory in his first test as captain, helping them level the 3-match series.
Fast Facts
5 of Salman Butt’s 8 ODI centuries have come against India.
One of those centuries helped Pakistan chase 308 in the Asia Cup, the 4th instance of a 300+ run chase in their history.
All of Salman Butt’s ODI 8 centuries have come against sub-continent oppositions.
His total of 451 runs in 5 ODI’s against Bangladesh in Pakistan is the highest by any player in an ODI series on Pakistani soil.
He is Pakistan’s 28th Test captain, and his win against Australia is already a better record than all of Imtiaz Ahmed, Javed Burki, Majid Khan, Wasim Bari, Asif Iqbal, Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi.
His 3 ducks in 7 Asia Cup innings until 2010 remains unmatched.
Taking just 52 innings to reach 2000 ODI runs, it is the 11th fastest in the world.
Since his debut in 2004, he’s been Pakistan’s 4th highest ODI run getter.
While averaging around 30 in ODI’s in general, against India, Butt’s average rises to the 45 mark. This difference while playing in Indo-Pak encounters is second only to MS Dhoni’s, whose general average of 43 shoots to 60 in encounters against the sub-continental neighbours.
He was one of Irfan Pathan’s three dismissals in Test cricket’s only first-over hat trick. The two other unfortunate victims were Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf.
Salman Butt
Salman Butt
Salman Butt
Salman Butt
Salman Butt
Salman Butt
Salman Butt
Salman Butt
Salman Butt
Salman Butt
salman butt 72 vs Australia ist odi jan 2010...!
salman butt never mind huta hey.mp4
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