KARACHI, Pakistan: Pakistan T20 captain Shahid Afridi has publicly backed Mohammad Amir’s recall to the Pakistan side, saying that the country and his teammates now need to back the fast bowler.
Amir was famously banned for five years and served a prison sentence for his role in the 2010 spot fixing scandal alongside Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif.
The 23-year-old returned to domestic cricket at the end of last year and was included in a training camp ahead of the New Zealand tour in December.
Despite one-day captain Azhar Ali offering his resignation as a result of Amir’s call-up and stars Mohammad Hafeez and Sarfraz Ahmed withdrawing from the camp, the left-arm quick completed his road to redemption with recall to both shorter format sides for the upcoming tour of New Zealand, pending him obtaining a visa.
“Amir made a mistake but he accepted it in the first place unlike others who kept on lying for three years,” Afridi told Sport360.
“Everyone should support him now because he is part of the team. We should move on from whatever happened and I feel Amir will give his best for the country and I expect him to deliver with dedication and commitment.”
Afridi added that he respected the principle stance of those players who were against Amir’s return, including Hafeez and Azhar.
“I’ve full respect of Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali’s stance that Pakistan suffered a lot for years due to spot-fixing issue but now we need to move on,” he added.
Meanwhile, former captain Rashid Latif said that he has problems with Amir representing the national team but has no issues with him playing in February’s Pakistan Super League.
“Amir should be allowed to play in different T20 leagues and domestic competition but he shouldn’t be allowed to wear the jersey he sold for money which likes of Imran Khan and Hanif Mohammad wore,” said Latif.
Hafeez has maintained that he has forgiven everyone who was involved in spot-fixing issue but reiterated that any player to have damaged the pride and integrity of Pakistan should not be given a second chance.
There are several players in the team who are not comfortable playing alongside Amir but are wary that the PCB is determined to see him return to the international stage and any dissenters risk their own international futures.
“PCB is setting a wrong example by binding players legally that they will have no issue playing with Amir. The board is trying to bully everyone who is against Amir’s comeback,” a senior Pakistan player told Sport360 under anonymity.
“I don’t think that this would have happened anywhere in the world that the board would back a player who has committed crime and bully those who have played their cricket fairly.”
