Amir World Cup berth 'not realistic'

News

Banned fast bowler Mohammad Amir has silenced suggestion of a return to the Pakistan team ahead of next year's World Cup in Australasia.

Banned fast bowler Mohammad Amir has silenced suggestion of a return to the Pakistan team ahead of next year's World Cup in Australasia.

Amir will likely serve a full five-year ban for spot-fixing, despite the Pakistan Cricket Board's attempt to have the International Cricket Council shorten the term.

"I don't see myself playing in the World Cup," said Amir. "It is not realistic, because all these things have to go through a process. I am just grateful to the cricket board for taking up my case. I will be ready whenever I am given the chance to resume training or playing.

"What I did was wrong and I got lost in all the fame and wealth. I went down the wrong path. There are people who try to lure cricketers down the wrong path and into corruption and they need to be stopped."

Amir pleaded guilty to charges of deliberately bowling no-balls during a Test match against England at Lord's in 2010. The 22-year-old has taken 51 wickets in 14 Tests and 25 in 15 ODIs.

"I would suggest to the PCB to appoint a committee of senior players who can be tasked with keeping a watch on young players in domestic cricket and also in the national team and who can groom and educate these players on how to avoid the pitfalls of world cricket," he concluded.

Pakistan have been pooled with India, West Indies, Zimbabwe, United Arab Emirates, South Africa and Ireland at the World Cup, which will start on 14 February 2015.

latest-news Pakistan

Latest