Mohammad Amir can play international cricket for Pakistan if he takes his retirement back: PCB chief Najam Sethi

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Najam Sethi has said that senior pacer Mohammad Amir can still make a comeback to the national team provided he takes his retirement back. Amir had announced his shocking retirement from international cricket back in December 2020 citing his differences with the then head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis.

Meanwhile, Amir who had decided to retire from Test cricket back in 2019 at the age of 27 was severely criticized by experts as well as the fast bowling greats of Pakistan. Apart from that, the critics had also accused him of taking this step in order to give more weightage to playing T20 franchise leagues across the globe.

However, Sethi also revealed that Amir wasn't happy with the way he was treated by PCB's previoius regime. At the same time, the PCB Chief also stated that a player should get a chance to make a comeback if he has paid a penalty for his mistake.

Mohammad Amir thinks he is not dealt fairly by the previous regime of PCB: Najam Sethi

"Mohammad Amir can play international cricket for Pakistan if he takes his retirement back. I always took a strong stance against match-fixing. I believe no convicted player should be spared, but at the same time, a player should be allowed to resume international cricket once he has completed his years of penalty," Sethi said while addressing a press conference in Lahore on Monday, January 23.

“Mohammad Amir thinks he is not dealt fairly by the previous regime of PCB, including selection committee and chairman Ramiz Raja. Ramiz Raja thinks whoever has committed corruption in cricket should never be allowed to play for Pakistan again. This is not my view! I believe someone who has paid the penalty should be allowed to make a comeback for Pakistan,” he added.

Amir had last donned the Pakistan jersey back in August 2020 during an away T20I series against England and since then has not been in the national selectors’ and the team management’s scheme of things. The left-arm pacer was also not considered for selection during Ramiz Raja’s term as the PCB Chairman especially when pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi was ruled out of Asia Cup 2022 due to a knee injury.

In the last couple of years, Mohammad Amir has been keeping himself engaged by playing franchise leagues. He is currently representing Sylhet Strikers in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2023.

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