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Pakistan’s cricketing landscape saw a series of changes over the past few weeks, with Babar Azam returning as the side’s limited-overs captain headlining the shuffle. There was also significant controversy following Mohammad Amir’s decision to come out of international retirement and make himself available for the T20 World Cup 2024.
While many fans in Pakistan are hopeful about the team’s prospects if, at all, Amir makes a return to the side, former captain and ex-PCB chief Ramiz Raja has voiced strong disapproval of the fast bowler’s comeback.
In a candid interview with a TV channel in Pakistan, Raja expressed his disappointment at seeing a “tainted” cricketer like Amir back in international cricket. Raja did not mince words, stating that if his own son had been involved in fixing, he would have disowned him. The former cricketer recalled his experience as a commentator during Amir’s infamous spot-fixing incident in 2010, highlighting the backlash he faced for exposing such corruption in the sport.
“My views on Mohammad Amir are very straightforward. I haven’t taken an oath to fix cricket, but I believe it’s important for society and fans to understand. When he was involved in fixing, I was commentating at Lord’s, and I could feel the intense hatred directed towards me because I was identifying the fixers. The amount of criticism I faced from the media during that time is something I can never forget,” Raja said, as quoted by NDTV.
“Wherever tainted cricketers exist in the world, they are usually expelled. While I sympathise with them, forgiveness isn’t in my book. If, God forbid, my son had done such a thing, I would disown him,” Raja said.
Raja’s uncompromising stance, emphasising that there should be no room for redemption for players who have tarnished the integrity of the game, has been consistent since his tenure as the PCB’s chairman. Throughout his stint at the position, Raja didn’t allow Amir back in the side, and the left-arm pacer had even publicly remarked that his international career was over.
Babar Azam will begin his second stint as the captain of the side when it takes on New Zealand in a five-match T20I series, starting April 18. Pakistan will also play T20I series against Ireland and England before kickstarting their T20 World Cup campaign on June 6 against the United States of America.
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