PCB clears air over ‘return’ of Mohammad Amir to national team

Reacting to the media reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday clarified that all stories relating to left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir’s return to the national team were "factually incorrect".

The reports on social media suggested that the left-arm pacer, who retired from international cricket in 2020, is expected to come out of retirement in the near future.

In a statement, the PCB stated that its selection policy is “crystal: domestic performance!”. It further added that as far as PCB is concerned, Amir has retired from international cricket.

Earlier, rumours claimed that the Pakistan team's selection committee has contacted Amir's manager and asked him to direct the cricketer to not make unnecessary statements in the media.

It is pertinent to mention here that Amir had represented Pakistan in 36 Tests, 61 ODIs, and 50 T20Is. He last played an international match in 2020. The pacer was also part of the Pakistan team when they won ICC T20 World Cup 2009 and ICC Champions Trophy 2017.

His Champions Trophy 2017 final spell earned Pakistan their maiden title in an eight-team tournament.

In 2010, Amir, his new-ball partner Mohammad Asif and former Pakistan captain Salman Butt were banned from cricket for five years and handed jail sentences after the trio was found guilty of match-fixing during the Test series against England.