There have been reports in the media that Mohammad Amir, a former Pakistani cricketer, is expected to return to international cricket. The 30-year-old fast bowler had earlier accused the team management of subjecting him to “mental torture” and announced his retirement from all forms of the game in December 2020, when he was 28 years old.
After serving a five-year ban for his involvement in a spot-fixing scandal during a 2010 Test match in England, the left-arm pacer had returned to the Pakistan cricket team in 2016. Mohammad Amir has played a total of 147 matches for Pakistan across different formats of the game, taking 259 wickets in the process.
According to an article on ‘Pakobserver.net’, Najam Sethi, the acting chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), is reportedly interested in providing Mohammad Amir with one final opportunity to return to the national team. Following his retirement, Amir has continued to remain active by participating in various franchise cricket leagues around the world.
As per the report, the eighth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) played a crucial role in reigniting the possibility of Amir’s return to the national team. In the recently concluded PSL 2023, the skilled cricketer secured the 14th position on the list of highest wicket-takers.
Amir’s performance in the PSL 2023 was noteworthy as he managed to claim nine wickets in seven matches, despite facing injury setbacks. His gameplay exhibited flashes of his past form, which has reportedly captured the attention of the PCB’s selection committee.
Amir had also made headlines during PSL 2023 for his remarks about Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam. Prior to his team Karachi Kings’ match against Babar’s Peshawar Zalmi, Amir had stated that he would treat Babar no differently than a tailender while bowling against him.
Given the reported conflicts with Babar and the emergence of fast bowlers such as Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf, it remains to be seen whether Amir’s potential international return will come to fruition. However, with Najam Sethi reportedly keen on giving him a final opportunity, Amir’s future in the national team remains a topic of interest.