Leaving everyone shocked, Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Amir has announced that he is going to quit international cricket alleging the senior national team management of mentally torturing him. He has announced his retirement from the Tests in June 2019.
The news came out after Pakistan journalist Shoaib Jatt shared a video on social media in which Amir can be heard saying, “No, I am not going away from cricket. If you have seen the way the atmosphere over here and the way I have been sidelined. I got a wake-up call there when I was not selected in 35 boys. If I don’t get selected in the 35-member squad, then it means to wake up and call for me.”
He further said in the video, “I don’t think I can play cricket under this management. I think I should leave cricket this time. I am being tortured mentally. I don’t think I can tolerate any more torture now. I have seen a lot of torture from 2010 to 2015. I was away from the game and sentenced for my mistake.”
Besides all this, he expressed gratitude to the former PCB chairman Najam Sethi and former all-rounder Shahid Afridi. “I am being tortured again and again that PCB invested in me. I still give credit to the two people from PCB. I returned after completing the sentence of five years. Not that I returned after a year. Sethi sahab and Shahid Afridi, were the two people whom I will thank forever. Both of them supported me at a tough time. The rest of the team said that we will not play with Mohammad amir,” said Amir.
Even though Amir can be heard saying in the video that he will make an official statement after reaching Pakistan and discussing with his family, a media house Samaa.tv reported that the cricketer has indeed announced a retirement from international cricket.
Amir made his debut in Pakistan team in 2009 for international cricket. His cricket career got a big black spot after he was arrested in 2010 in connection to the spot-fixing. Amir had pleaded guilty to the verdict and had asked for forgiveness publicly. He was banned for straight five years for bowling two no-balls in a Test against England.
In 2011, Amir along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, was convicted of conspiracy charges in context to the spot-fixing in Southwark Crown Court.
In 2015, he made a comeback to domestic cricket. Last year in June, he announced retirement from the Tests in order to focus properly on the white ball cricket. During the selection process this year in November, Amir was dropped from Pakistan’s T20 squad for the three-match series against New Zealand.
