Mohammad Amir quits international cricket citing mental torture from Pak management
Pakistan fast bowler, Mohammad Amir has announced his retirement from international cricket, alleging that he had been mentally tortured by the Pakistan board’s management.
Mohammad Amir had made this shocking revelation in a video interview released by Pakistani website ‘Khel-Shel’.
“I am quitting cricket this time because I have been mentally tortured. I can’t bear this torture. I had faced torture from 2010 to 2015, I remained outside cricket for whatever the reason. I served the punishment and did everything,” said Amir relating to the ban he served for match-fixing.
“But I feel tortured by this continuous talk that PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) has invested (on me). I can’t play under this current management,” he added.
Mohammad Amir was handed a five year ban from cricket on charges of match fixing in 2009. In all, the left-arm pacer claimed 119 wickets in 36 test matches for Pakistan. Amir had announced his retirement from Test cricket last year, as he felt his body could not take the load of playing all three formats.
“I can give my best for Pakistan in white ball cricket. But every month or two they say something about my bowling, or I am ditching this and that, there is no workload on me etc. It means that I have been given wake-up call that I am not in the scheme of things and I should be on the sidelines. With all these thought I am doing this (quitting). I am reaching Pakistan in one or two days and I will give a statement stating the reasons,” said Amir.
Bowling coach, Waqar Younis had recently stated that Amir did not quit Tests because of the workload as suggested by him, but the reasons were best known to him. Amir was not selected for the three match T20I series against New Zealand to be held this month.
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Mohammad Amir was a part of the 2009 ICC T20 World Cup and 2017 ICC Champions Trophy winning campaigns with Pakistan. He stated that only two people have helped him after his comeback from the ban, former PCB chief, Najam Sethi and ex-Pakistan all-rounder, Shahid Afridi.
“I will give credit only to these two people. Mr Sethi had helped me single-handedly and when everybody said after I came back that don’t play with Amir, at that time Afridi helped me. I took my personal decision but it was presented in a wrong way that I don’t like to play for my country. Who does not want to play for country?” he asked.
Mohammad Amir was a part of the Galle Gladiators for the recently concluded Lanka Premier League. Amir bowled exceptionally well for his team, which helped them reach the finals, where they were beaten by Jaffna Stallions.