There’s quite a stir brewing ahead of the 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). A lot of franchise owners are not happy about the decision to include Salman Butt, a former Pakistan captain, in the commentary team. This isn’t just some random decision; Butt has a bit of a shady past. He was banned and even did some jail time back in 2010 because of his role in a spot-fixing scandal.
The PSL 2025 season is kicking off on April 11, featuring six teams: Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Quetta Gladiators, Multan Sultans, Lahore Qalandars, and Peshawar Zalmi. They’ll be going head-to-head in a total of 34 matches, but the buildup to the tournament has taken a turn with this controversy over the commentary panel.
Reports from journalist Saleem Khaliq have revealed that several franchises were stunned when they heard about Butt being named as a commentator. They’ve even gotten together to write a letter to the PSL management, asking them to rethink this decision. The letter expresses their worries about including people with questionable pasts, citing concerns for the league’s credibility and its reputation on the global stage.
Butt’s past is really the issue here. He was involved in a notorious spot-fixing case during a Test match at Lord’s in England, along with other players like Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir. All three of them faced hefty fines and bans as a result of their actions. But despite the complaints and concerns, officials from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and PSL don’t seem to be too bothered by the backlash. They’ve come out in defense of their choice, claiming that Butt will only be doing commentary in Urdu, which means he won’t be as prominent in the international broadcasts.
In a twist, England’s Test captain Alastair Cook is set to make his commentary debut in this PSL season. This year, the PSL is introducing full-match commentary in Urdu for the first time, and they’ve gathered a solid mix of local and international cricket legends to join the panel. Heavy-hitters like Mark Nicholas, Lisa Sthalekar, Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram, JP Duminy, and Ramiz Raja will be part of the English commentary team.
On the Urdu side, there’s Butt, which is causing a lot of buzz, and he will be joined by other commentators like Marina Iqbal and Tariq Saeed. To top it off, presenters such as Zainab Abbas and Erin Holland will also be part of the commentary team, rounding out what promises to be an interesting broadcasting experience this year.