New Delhi

Former Pakistan opener Salman Butt has hit out on Indian pacer Mohammed Shami for his 'dirty hit' on legendary Pak batter Inzamam-ul-Haq. Shami recently had indirectly called out Inzamam for selection of his nephew Imam-ul-Haq in the national team during his tenure as Pakistan chief selector.

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"Pakistan should not pick teams based on relations and friendships. Mohammed Shami's comments were targeted towards Inzamam-ul-Haq. He targeted Inzamam by speaking about Pakistan picking their team based on personal relations, and I think this is wrong. This is wrong because if you look at Imam's record, he came into the Pakistan team on the basis of his performance. He was also dropped when he failed. Shami's remarks were below the belt and he shouldn't have said such things," Butt said on YouTube.

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"Yes, there was a controversy, which should've been avoided. A lot of people made statements, Inzamam also said something, Rohit Sharma also clarified, and the topic was over. But to say things about selecting players just because they are relatives is a dirty hit. Such things don't suit Mohammed Shami. He is a renowned bowler, like how Inzamam was a renowned captain," he added.

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Butt was referring to Inzamam's comments on Indian bowlers tampering with the ball during the recent T20 World Cup to get reverse swing. India skipper Rohit Sharma had then pointed out the conditions in the USA, T20 World Cup co-host, which abetted reverse swing.

Shami, during a podcast on YouTube with Shubhankar Mishra's had said: "I don't understand why people find it necessary to target others. Improve your selection, and send a good team, they can do it, the talent is there. Do one thing, make it a family team if you want to run the team based on personal relations,"

India eventually went on to win the T20 World Cup by beating South Africa in the final.