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Premier paceman Mohammad Amir is all charged up to play for Pakistan once again as he recently took a U-turn on his retirement and made his comeback with the T20I series against New Zealand. Amir, who was involved in spot-fixing in 2011 and got banned, had retired in 2021 from all forms of international cricket. However, after the change in PCB management, Amir decided to return to the Pakistan team.
He has been in the mix for the T20 World Cup squad, and he is grateful to have another crack at the mega ICC event.
“It’s a great feeling to be playing for Pakistan again,” Amir told AFP by phone from Lahore this week ahead of the tournament in the United States and the West Indies beginning on June 2.
“I want to complete the unfinished work and, for me, the short-term goal is to win the World Cup.”
Amir started his career on an impressive note in 2009 but his rising career was hit by the infamous spot-fixing scandal in 2010.
He was one of three Pakistan players banned from cricket for five years for spot-fixing during a Test match in England after being caught in a newspaper sting. He was later jailed in the UK for six months.
However, he made a return to the Pakistan team after serving the ban and played a pivotal role in his team’s Champions Trophy triumph in 2017.
He will form a potent pace bowling attack with spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf that sees Pakistan ranked among the World Cup favourites.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board and the team management have shown trust in me so I have to fulfil that trust,” said Amir.
“I have come back after four years, and when you play for your country, the feeling cannot be described.”
Amir played three of the four T20 home matches against New Zealand last month, taking three wickets in a 2-2 drawn series, and said he felt part of the attack again.
“To be honest I felt fitter than in 2019 and until you are fit you cannot express yourself, so I am ready to do better and better,” said Amir.
