After Imad, veteran pacer Amir announces retirement from international cricket
Fast bowler Mohammad Amir has announced his retirement from international cricket, a day after white-ball spinning all-rounder Imad Wasim quit the game, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Saturday.
The pair, who took back their retirement from the game earlier this year, were selected for the ICC T20 World Cup earlier this year where the Green Team were knocked out in their earliest-ever elimination after a sub-par performance.
According to a press release issued by the PCB today, the 32-year-old pacer began his international career in June 2009, featuring in 36 Tests, 61 ODIs and 62 T20Is.
“Amir took 271 international wickets and had scored 1,179 runs across the three formats,” the PCB said.
Amir, who was an integral part of the 2009 ICC T20 World Cup and the 2017 ICC winning squad, said it was an honour to play for the country across all three formats, the statement added.
The veteran pacer had previously announced his retirement in 2020, saying he was being “mentally tortured” by the PCB management.
Amir was referring to the infamous scandal in 2010 when he was implicated in allegations of spot-fixing for bowling two deliberate no-balls in return for payment as part of a betting scam in the Lord’s Test against England.
The cricketer was subsequently questioned by Scotland Yard along with teammates Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt, and pleaded guilty. He was convicted in November 2011 and banned from playing for five years.
“I know this is a difficult decision, but I feel this is the right time for the next generation to take the baton and elevate Pakistan cricket to new heights,” the PCB quoted Amir as saying.
“I would like to thank the PCB for always extending the much-needed support over the years and I look forward to watching the team excel,” he said.
“I would also like to thank Pakistan fans for always supporting me throughout my career,” he added.
Meanwhile, in his remarks quoted by the PCB, 35-year-old Wasim termed playing for Pakistan “a great journey” and the “fulfilment of a huge dream”.
“I would also like to thank the PCB for all their support at each step and I wish great success to the national team and look forward to supporting Pakistan cricket from the other side of the ground,” Wasim said.
PCB Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmad Syed extended his “sincere gratitude to Amir and Imad for their services”, wishing them the best in their future endeavours.