Pakistan’s controversial left-arm pacer, Mohammad Amir is set to make his comeback into International cricket once again as he has been selected by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the upcoming home series against New Zealand, just ahead of the T20 World Cup starting in June.
On April 18, Amir was named in Pakistan's XI to take on New Zealand in Rawalpindi, in the first T20I of their five-match series, making his first appearance for the country in 1328 days.
The decision to pick the 31-year-old came after he made himself available for selection, via a post on X back in March, stating that it was still a dream for him to represent the Pakistan Cricket Team.
I still dream to play for Pakistan!
— Mohammad Amir (@iamamirofficial) March 24, 2024
life brings us to the points where at times we have to reconsider our decisions, There has been few positive discussions between myself and the PCB where they respectfully made me feel that I was needed and can still play for Pakistan after…
The Rawalpindi fast bowler made his debut for Pakistan back in 2009 against England. The then 17-year-old bowled brilliantly and dazzled the eyes of many before making it into the 2009 T20 World Cup squad for Pakistan which they won with Amir opening the bowling for them in every game and taking six wickets in the tournament.
Match-fixing scandal and return to International cricket
Mohammad Amir was deemed to be a superstar, also being hailed as the next Wasim Akram by Pakistan cricket enthusiasts, but it all went downhill after that as the youngster was found guilty in a series of match-fixing scandals along with then Pakistan skipper, Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif.
Amir was banned from cricket for five years, and finally made a comeback in 2016, being the only one to do so out of the three.
In the Champions Trophy 2017 Final, Amir bowled a magical spell against India, picking up 3 wickets for 16 runs in 6 overs as Pakistan went on to lift the cup.
Although Amir bowled decently, the pacer alleged that he was met with differential treatment from the PCB and the Pakistan dressing room. This resulted in Amir quitting the International stage once again, vowing to not come back until he was treated well by the country’s cricketing board.
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What is Mohammad Amir's record in T20 cricket?
Now, getting a call-up, Amir has a chance to dazzle the fans with his bowling once again. The Pakistani fast bowler possesses some deadly pace and movement on the ball that could be a big help for Pakistan as the T20 World Cup approaches in less than two months time.
With their five-match T20 series against the Blackcaps just around the corner, The Sporting News takes a look at Mohammad Amir’s bowling stats in T20:
| MATCHES | WICKETS | AVERAGE | ECONOMY | BEST | 5W | 10W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 59 | 21.41 | 7.02 | 4/13 | 0 | 0 |
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