HYDERABAD: On a day when fellow spot-fixing convict Mohammad Amir left for New Zealand with the Pakistan team, his two accomplices Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif made stirring returns to domestic action and vowed to knock on the national team’s selection door.

The tainted duo returned to domestic action for Wapda on Sunday in the National One-day Cup, with batsman Salman scoring 135 and paceman Asif picking up two wickets in a 141-run victory over Fata here at the Niaz Stadium.

Salman and Asif, along with Amir, were banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for bowling deliberate no-balls in return for money during the Lord’s Test against England on Pakistan’s tour in 2010.

The three players and their agent Mazhar Majeed were later jailed in Britain.

The ICC lifted the sanctions on the pair in September, making them eligible for national and international matches.

Amir has been fast-tracked back into the national squad after he was allowed by the ICC to resume playing domestic cricket six months before his ban expired last year.

But for Salman and Asif, their comeback came four months after their bans expired as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) kept them on hold, making it compulsory for them to first complete a rehabilitation/reintegration programme.

And the latter said he would try to reclaim his place in the national side quickly.

“It’s been a long time away from cricket,” the 33-year-old Asif told reporters. “Although half of the season has passed but still half of it remains to play.

“I’ll try to impress and regain my fitness. The rest will be up to the selectors,” added the lanky paceman who dismissed Fawad Khan with the last ball of the first over on his return to the game.

Asif said that he believes Amir’s inclusion in the Pakistan side for the upcoming T20 and ODI series against New Zealand was a good sign.

“I hope that the Pakistan team and Amir perform well,” he said. “Amir’s inclusion strengthens the team and gives us hope.”

Salman also vowed he wouldn’t give up on his hopes of returning to the Pakistan team, especially after his century on Sunday.

“It’s incredible to come back with a century,” the 31-year-old Salman told reporters. “This wouldn’t have been possible without the support I’ve received from friends, family and team officials. I hope things will fall in place further ahead with more matches coming up.”

The left-hander thanked Pakistan coach for having “positive thoughts on us and backing us” but did not comment on T20 captain Shahid Afridi’s recent assertion that he will quit if Salman and Asif were to return to the national team.

“People will always be either positive or negative about us. But I respect them all and am focussed on my performances which will eventually cause things to settle down.

“One should never give up,” he added. “We should seek divine’s forgiveness if we err and remain focussed on our work despite the criticism.”

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2016