butt played test cricket between 1959 and 1962. he made his test debut at karachi on 20 february 1959. the tourists, bowled out cheaply for 146 in the first innings, conceded a 10-wicket defeat with butt scoring 14 and 41 not out as a specialist opener. he scored two, 21, 47* and two in the rest of the series. between 26 march and 4 december he played two more tests against australia, scoring a career-best 58 in the second test. he was then left out of the team until 1962, where he toured england for three test matches. he struggled, scoring 10, 33, one, six, 10 and six before being dropped.