Amir set for dramatic return
Pakistan seamer Mohammad Amir, who was jailed and banned from cricket over his involvement in spot fixing, is expected to make a dramatic return to the sport.
Pakistan seamer Mohammad Amir, who was jailed and banned from cricket over his involvement in spot fixing, is expected to make a dramatic return to the sport.
On Sunday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is expected to revise its anti-corruption code during their two-day board meeting in Dubai, which would allow players that banned from playing internationally to participate in domestic matches until their suspensions expire.
AFP reports that executives' committee has already approved the new provision and will recommend that the full board follow suit.
While the new provision will be applicable to all players that are suspended, the 22-year-old Amir will benefit in particular since a return to international cricket would be a distinct possibility for him.
His Pakistani team-mates Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt, who were all suspended following a spot-fixing scandal during Pakistan's tour of England in 2010, will be eligible for a return as well, but due to their age, a return to international cricket seems unlikely.
The then-ICC anti-corruption tribunal chief Michael Beloff QC in 2011 banned the three players but raised questions over the code, and recommended that amendments were made for cases where the minimum punishment was five years.
Amir received a five-year ban, Butt got 10 years of which five were suspended, and Asif seven of which two were suspended.
All three spent some time in prison as well.
"The ICC Board will discuss the recommendations from the executive committee, including in respect of a revised anti-corruption code and a revised ICC anti-doping code," said an ICC statement.
ICC chief executive David Richardson suggested last month that a revision to the code could be on the agenda during the November meeting.
"There is a provision now in the revised code which will allow a player who has been banned internationally to play domestic cricket for a certain period from his ban coming to an end," Richardson said.
Should the code be approved, Amir would have to apply to the ICC to get permission to play domestically again.
The PCB is likely to make an appeal on behalf of Amir, but it seems unlikely that they will do the same for Asif and Butt.
Other topics on the agenda are the Future Tours Programme, suspected illegal bowling actions and the playing conditions for the 2015 World Cup.
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