World Cup discard Butt is new Pak vice-captain

Lahore, June 18 (UNI) World Cup discard Salman Butt, who played a crucial role in the Pakistan's 2-1 win over Sri Lanka in the Abu Dhabi series, has been appointed as the new vice-captain of the team.

An ad-hoc committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) yesterday decided to replace Mohd Asif with the 22-year-old opener for the next three assignments after reviewing the team's performance in the three-match ODI series against the Lankans.

The decision marks a turning of the fortune's wheel in the left-hander's favour who wasn't considered good enough to be seleced in the World Cup squad for the Caribbean.

The Lahore batsman has played 14 Tests and scored 777 runs at an average of 29.88 with the help of two centuries. He has also scored 1072 runs from 36 one-dayers at 30.62 with three tons.

Butt's first match as Shoaib Malik's deputy would be an ODI against Scotland in Glasgow on July 1, a game that would be followed by a one-dayer against India at the same place.

UNI