Butt freed from jail

LONDON – Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt was released from prison in Britain Thursday after serving seven months of a two-and-a-half year term for involvement in a match-fixing scam that sent shock waves through the world of cricket.

His solicitors confirmed the 27-year-old had been freed from Canterbury prison in southeast England.

“His return back home will allow Salman to spend time with his family and relatives,” his solicitors said in a statement. “He will get to see and hold his son whom he has not seen since his birth in November last year.

“He can now return to his beloved homeland, start to re-build his reputation and begin the long process in his efforts to return back to top-level cricket. He is tired and jaded.”

Butt, who has played 33 Tests, 78 One-Day Internationals and 24 Twenty20s for his country, was sentenced for his part in Pakistan bowling deliberate no-balls during a Test against England at Lord’s in 2010.

Opening batsman Butt’s teammates Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were also sentenced.

Asif, 29, was released from prison in May after serving half of his one-year term. Amir, 20, was freed from a young offenders institution in February after serving half of a six-month sentence. All three were banned for a minimum of five years by the International Cricket Council. — Reuters