Mohammad Amir retires from international cricket

Fast bowler Mohammad Amir has conveyed his decision to retire from international cricket to the Pakistan Cricket Board. Although no reason was specified, a board press release revealed that the 28-year-old informed PCB CEO Wasim Khan that he “has no desire or intention to play international cricket and as such should not be considered for future international matches. ”

Amir, who just finished an impressive season in the Lanka Premier League, has played 30 Tests, 61 ODI and 50 T20I in his international career, scoring a total of 259 international wickets. His last appearance for Pakistan was in the T20I series against England in August earlier this year.

This decision, temporary or not, closes the curtain on an intriguing two-part race. Amir started out as the prodigious talent who at age 17 gained attention when he took 55 plots for the National Bank of Pakistan in his debut season. Amid constant comparisons to bowling legend Wasim Akram, Amir quickly made his way into the Pakistan 2009 T20 World Cup squad, where he made his debut for Pakistan in a T20I against England. He would go on to give a crucial flurry in the final against Sri Lanka when Pakistan claimed the title.

After a brilliant start even in the test format, his career went downhill after he was found guilty of fixing points and was suspended for five years. He made his international comeback in 2016 and went on to play a pivotal role in winning the Pakistan Champions Trophy in 2017. He was also the team’s top wicket bearer at the 2019 World Cup, where Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-finals. despite victories over both the eventual finalists, England and New Zealand, in the group stage.

Incidentally, Amir retired from test cricket in July last year to focus on cue ball cricket, a decision that was subsequently criticized by then-Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis, who felt his team was let down by Amir’s decision on the Australian tour.