Salman Butt to meet ACSU in Dubai

Salman Butt, the suspended former Pakistan captain, has been called by the ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit to Dubai on April 28. This comes after the PCB applied for his reintegration into cricket.

"I am not aware about the purpose of the meeting," Butt told ESPNcricinfo. "But I am sure it is related to my request to the PCB about my reintegration into cricket. I am happy that I am being heard and I am ready for the ICC meeting as well."

Butt was originally handed a 10-year ban from any involvement in cricketing activities for spot-fixing during the Lord's Test in August 2010, with five years suspended on the condition that he would commit no further breach of the anti-corruption code and participate in a PCB-controlled anti-corruption education programme.

But the ICC recently approved a revised anti-corruption code that allows banned players to make a return to domestic cricket before the end of their penalty if they meet certain criteria.

Butt had told the PCB of his willingness to comply and requested the chairman Shahriyar Khan's support. In June 2013, he had confessed and apologised for his actions and offered his full cooperation to the mandatory educational rehabilitation program.

In a letter to the PCB, a copy of which has been seen by ESPNcricinfo, Butt said "I accept that I am guilty of breaching the ICC anti-corruption code in the manner found by the anti-corruption tribunal in its judgment dated 5 February 2011.

"I unreservedly and unconditionally apologise and express deep regret and remorse for those grave breaches and recognise the harm they have done to the cricket and to the image of the Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan as nation. As the captain, I accept that I had a greater responsibility than any other player in the team.

"I urge all persons playing or planning to play cricket to resist temptations of any kind which may be offered them to fix matches or to spot-fix or otherwise to participate in activates which damage the sports of cricket and beware of the adverse impact that such activities necessarily have on the sport. I urge all person who know of any corruption to reject the approach and report the matter to the appropriate cricketing authorities."

Butt, along with Mohammad Asif, had also been found guilty at Southwark Crown Court in November 2011, on charges of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments over deliberate no-balls bowled during the Lord's Test between Pakistan and England in August 2010. Mohammad Amir had pleaded guilty prior to the trial.

Butt has served four and half years of his ban, and also served seven months of a 30-month prison sentence in UK. In 2013, he had appealed before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland, to reduce his ban but it was rejected.