Salman Butt determined to prove innocence

Salman Butt, the former Pakistan captain, has said he is determined to prove his innocence when his appeal against the provisional suspension imposed on him by the ICC is heard in Doha on October 30 and 31. Butt, along with seamers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, was suspended by the ICC for his alleged involvement in the spot-fixing controversy during the tour of England this year.

"We are innocent and have to fight our case on our own," Salman told Pakistan's Geo TV. "The first and the foremost thing is to fight this case out and I am eager to do that."

The trio has been barred by the PCB from using the facilities at Pakistan's National Cricket Academy until the spot-fixing scandal is resolved. "The onus is on them [the accusers] to prove," Butt said. "A player's career is of 10 to 15 years and if he is suspended it is cut short, so whatever doubts are there we have to remove them."

Asif, on Friday, withdrew his appeal against the suspension and will have to wait until the ICC concludes its full hearing - within three months from September 2, the suspension date - before he can apply for it to be lifted. "It may be strategic or maybe because of financial reasons, but he must have taken this decision after consulting with his lawyer," Butt said of Asif's decision.