Pakistan cricket team file photo.©AFP
After a five-year ban and a further four years on international hiatus, Mohammed Amir is fed up with the former Pakistan star repeatedly bringing up his involvement in the infamous match-fixing scandal that rocked the cricketing world in 2010. ing. It's repentance for that big mistake, and if you look at my career, I was suspended from 2010 to 2015 and retired from 2020 to 2024, so I lost nine years. I accepted everything as God's will and moved forward,'' Amir told media persons. .
In 2010, Amir, who was just 19 years old, deliberately overstepped along with fellow pacer Mohammed Asif on orders from former skipper Salman Butt, and they were all exposed by News of the World. All three were briefly jailed in Britain, where match-fixing is a crime, but were later released.
The ICC banned them for five years from 2010 to 2015. Only Amir made a successful return to international cricket and was the hero of Pakistan's Champions Trophy victory over India in England in 2017.
However, in 2020, he retired from all forms of international cricket following public disagreements with former PCB chief Ramiz Raja.
Ramiz and some other Pakistani players have been vocal about Pakistan's cricket body giving Ramiz a second chance after being directly involved in corruption.
He has also come under a lot of criticism for coming out of retirement and being given direct entry into the Pakistan team without playing any domestic cricket.
“There was a lot of criticism from some people about me and Imad being selected without playing domestic cricket,” he added.
Amir hit back at critics by clarifying that the PSL is a domestic tournament that he and another returning player, Imad Wasim, play regularly.
“I ask them what is the best domestic T20 event in Pakistan? PSL. And both of us (Imad) play regularly in other leagues as well as in PSL. We have played and performed. So what is wrong with choosing us for T20 format?'' It would have been very wrong if Amir selector had selected them for Tests or ODIs. I did.
“I myself have always said that in order to be selected for the national team, players have to gain experience in domestic first-class and other events. “Our form and fitness is there for everyone to see.'' He also said he received a call last year from former Test captain Muhammad Hafeez to come out of retirement. He also admitted that he was asked if he would consider it.
“I was kind to him (he was Pakistan team director) and told me I could still play for Pakistan, but given the uncertainty of the cricket board and the team, I will not be playing international cricket. I told him it was better not to do that.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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