LONDON, (Reuters) – Pakistan have dedicated a proportion of their match fees to victims of the floods which have devastated their country following an upset win over England in the third test at the Oval on Saturday.
The floods, which have affected a third of the country over the past three weeks, have killed at least 1,600 people and left more than four million homeless.
Butt told reporters his team had dedicated the victory to the flood victims.
“We have already donated a percentage of our match fees,” he said. “This is the only way we can give back to the Pakistan people if we perform well.”
England captain Andrew Strauss said his team would also donate a proportion of their match fees.
“It’s a massive humanitarian catastrophe out there and we’re trying to help as much as we can and the more people who do that the better,” he said.
Despite doing their best to lose a game they had all but won in the opening session on Saturday, Pakistan finally reached their target of 148 with four wickets to spare.
Played against a background of disaster back home, a security crisis which forces the team to play all their internationals abroad and familiar turmoil in the Pakistan camp, Saturday’s victory was one of the most significant in their history.
It means Pakistan could square the four-test series at Lord’s this week after drawing 1-1 with the Australians following an abysmal start to the year in which they failed a single game in Australia.
YOUSUF COMEBACK
The return of Mohammad Yousuf to the fold after he was banned for life by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after the Australia tour was a significant factor.
However, Pakistan’s other acknowledged world class batsman Younus Khan is unlikely to join Yousuf at Lord’s for the final test starting on Thursday. A Pakistan source said Younus would probably be included in the squad for the five-match one-day series but would not be called up for the fourth test.
The Pakistan selectors meet PCB chairman Ijaz Butt and one-day captain Shahid Afridi this week to decide the squad for that series.
Salman Butt said his team’s victory at a ground where England were unbeaten since 2001 was of huge significance.
“It is terrific because I’ve always been saying this is a young team, an inexperienced team but they have the potential,” he said. “They are beginning to show that. They showed it against the Australia side and now the England side.
“The presence of Mohammad Yousuf has really helped but it was a team game. “Everybody put up his hand, (wicketkeeper) Kamran Akmal took all his catches, the boys fielded well, Mohammad Amir took wickets, Saeed Ajmal took wickets, Mohammad Asif bowled really well.
“The debutant (Wahab Riaz) took wickets and scored runs, Azhar Ali’s 92 was crucial. So I am a very happy captain right now.”
