Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has advised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to keep tainted pacer Mohammad Amir away from the national team.
Amir has made a significant impact in the first stage of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) with his left-arm fast bowling, igniting a big debate on whether he should be fast tracked into the national team.
“I don’t think it would be a good idea to allow either Amir or the two other players involved in the spot-fixing scandal back into the Pakistan team,” Inzamam said in an interview to NDTV.
“I just feel that if Amir is selected again for the national team it will divert the focus of the other players away from cricket and there will be added pressure on them and Amir,” said Inzamam, who featured for Pakistan in 120 Tests and 398 one-day internationals.
“I know from experience that if Amir is selected in the Pakistan team and when it goes to England, Australia or even India, the media will just focus on him and it will mean problems in the dressing room,” he said.
Inzamam said that he had nothing personal against the bowler but the PCB had to settle on on a policy regarding tainted players independent of the ICC’s regulations on the matter.
“The PCB needs to be clear in its stance on players who have been involved in corruption and tarnishing the image of the country. Because playing for the national team is the highest honor for any athlete,” he added.
He also believed that Amir would also face a lot of problems on his comeback.
“I can imagine the questions that would be asked if Pakistan lose a close match or if he doesn’t perform at the right time. I can imagine the taunts from the crowd and all these things will only divert the attention of the team away from cricket,” Inzamam said.
Amir has gone onto feature in the BPL after remarkable performances in domestic matches since his five-year ban for spot-fixing ended in September.
His two other partners in crime Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif have still not been permitted by the PCB to play domestic cricket.
Many former Pakistan stalwarts including Javed Miandad and Rashid Latif have opposed the return of the tainted trio to the national team while senior player Mohammad Hafeez last week claimed he didn’t accept a contract to play in the BPL as the franchise which approached him had already signed on Amir.
Some other members of the Pakistan team are also said to be against giving Amir, Asif and Butt, a chance to play for Pakistan again.
But many other former players believe that since the trio have served their punishments, they deserve a second chance.
Boycott calls for a ‘second chance’ for tainted trio
Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott also spoke in favour of bringing back the tainted trio of Amir, Asif and Butt into the Pakistan team as they had completed the punishments for their crimes.
“Once they have served their sentence under the rule of law, then society says you should be given a second chance,” said Boycott in an interview with Pakpassion.net.
Boycott said that, if fully fit and in-form, the trio should be featuring in the national team.
“If you are going to give people a second chance then it has to be all-in. Give them a proper chance, get fit, play well and if they are still good enough then give them a chance in the Pakistan team,” he said.
“Nobody should hold anything against Mohammad Amir.
“In fact this applies to any of them.
“Amir and the other two should only get back into the Pakistan team on merit and ability,” said the 75-year-old.
