"This is very below-average, below-the-belt" - Salman Butt responds to Michael Vaughan's 'match-fixing' jibe

The war of words between former Pakistan captain Salman Butt and his English counterpart Michael Vaughan continued unabated on Monday. Butt called Vaughan's latest match-fixing barb 'below-the-belt', adding that the Englishman is suffering from 'mental constipation'.

It all started when Michael Vaughan made a controversial comparison between Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson, saying the latter is at par with the former but doesn't get the recognition because of his fewer Instagram followers and brand deals.

Salman Butt brushed these remarks aside as 'irrelevant' by arguing that Kohli has 70 international tons when Michael Vaughan himself didn't have one in ODIs.

Michael Vaughan brought up Salman Butt's 11-year-old match-fixing scandal into the exchange on Sunday with a tweet that went viral on social media.

Now, in another video on his YouTube channel, Salman Butt said Michael Vaughan is living in the past by picking the topic in the 'wrong context'.

"I don't want to get into details. I just want to say that he's picked the topic in the wrong context. There is no justification for a reaction like this. This is very below-average, below-the-belt. If he wants to live in the past and wants to talk about it, he surely can. Constipation is an illness. Things get stuck and they don’t come out that easily. Some people have mental constipation. Their minds are in the past. That doesn’t matter," said Butt.

The former Pakistani batsman further claimed he was expecting some rational discussion about 'two great players' and the latest jibe didn't change the facts of the matter.

"We spoke about two great players and there was no need to take it into a different direction. But he has opted to. The year he has mentioned, he can go on. It's the past and it's gone. But that doesn't change the actual fact, which we spoke about. Had he provided some statistical presentation, some logic, some experienced-based observation, it would have been better. We too could have learnt something," Butt added.

No idea what the headline is ... but I seen what Salman has said about me ... that’s fine and he is allowed his opinion but I wished he had such a clear thought of mind back in 2010 when he was Match fixing !!! https://t.co/EkDWuH7Vi4

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) May 16, 2021

Kohli and Williamson are both considered among the best in the world. While the Indian skipper is currently the only batsman in the world to rank in the top-5 in all three formats, Williamson is the top-rated Test batsman and is ranked 12th in ODIs.

The duo will come head to head in the much-anticipated World Test Championship Final on June 18 in Southampton.

"Michael Vaughan has just defined himself" - Salman Butt

Michael Vaughan

Salman Butt also gruffed that everyone has the option of making unsporting remarks, and by doing so Michael Vaughan has 'defined himself'.

"Had he spoken about cricket and proved us wrong or proved himself right, it would have been fun. But that didn’t happen. To go below the belt is an option everyone has. It just defines what you pick to do, it defines you. Now that he has done, it, he can keep on doing it as much as he can. It doesn't affect anyone, but he has just defined himself," Salman Butt signed off.

Former Pakistan cricketer Salman Butt slams Michael Vaughan for ‘stirring’ Virat Kohli - Kane Williamson debate 🤫#SalmanButt #KaneWilliamson #ViratKohli #MichaelVaughan pic.twitter.com/Y41f8fyRIk

— Sportskeeda India (@Sportskeeda) May 16, 2021