Knee injury to Mohammad Amir gave minor scare to Pakistan

Ace Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Amir was seen limping during the first day of the first Test at Gabba, Brisbane. Watching him struggle had the visitors in a tricky situation. Pakistan opted to play with just 4 bowlers in the match and they certainly did not expect that to happen. They took on the hosts Australia in the historic day night Test.

Pakistan bowled first in the match and Mohammad Amir gave them a scintillating start. He bowled tight lines and gave the first breakthrough to the team. He dismissed David Warner to draw first blood. Despite that, the day belonged to Australia as Aussie skipper Steve Smith scored his first ever ton against Pakistan and took Australia to a commanding position by the end of day’s play.

Pakistan had a brief scare when Mohammad Amir was seen struggling with his knee on the field. The action perspired in the 70th over when Amir slid down to stop a drive from Peter Handscomb. As soon as Amir got rid of the ball after the fielding effort, he was down on the ground. He held his right knee and looked in severe pain as the physio ran in to check the matter.

The commentators were quick to draw comparisons between him and the knee injury to Simon Jones during the Ashes 2002. The injury had curtailed the promising career of the English paceman. The intensity of pain, as seen on Amir’s face, suggested that he might not bowl again in the match and perhaps even be out of the series.

Thankfully, for the visitors, Amir was back in the field after a half an hour gap. He soon ran in to bowl in the last session. He bowled with fire and pace. He had managed to get an outside edge off the bat of Steve Smith. Surprisingly, none of the Pakistani fielders nor did Amir himself heard the edge. Nobody appealed and Smith got a breather at 97. He went on to pile on the agony for the hapless Pakistanis.

Speaking about the injury, Pakistan opener Azhar Ali said, “His knee went into the ground and we all feared it might be worse but, thank God, he recovered very quickly and came back and he’s feeling much, much better, the good thing, he came on and bowled with the second new ball, which is a very good sign.”

Amir was expected to have medical tests before tomorrow’s plat, “He’s feeling OK. I don’t know how heavily he was strapped … he must have had strapping, definitely he’s recovered very well, and he’s feeling well.” Concluded Azhar Ali.

Mohammad Amir finished the day with 18 overs for 40 runs to his name with a wicket of David Warner. Amir is surely a key weapon for Pakistan on the tour.