Mohammad Amir quits international cricket citing ‘Mental torture’

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Amir

Fast bowler Mohammad Amir has called time on his international career in apparent frustration with the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Amir, whose promising career was interrupted by a lengthy ban for spot-fixing incurred when he was still a teenager, has now called time on his international career at the age of 29.

Amir calls it quits

The quick has been in and out of the squad for the last 18 months and was not selected for Pakistan’s ongoing tour of New Zealand.

Amir reportedly told the Pakistan Cricket Board that he has no desire to play international cricket and is to be considered unavailable for selection for the national team.

“Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive Wasim Khan spoke with Mohammad Amir this afternoon following reports that the fast bowler had announced his retirement from international cricket,” a statement from the PCB reads.

“The 29-year-old confirmed to the PCB chief executive that he has no desires or intensions of playing international cricket and as such, he should not be considered for future international matches.

“This is a personal decision of Mohammad Amir, which the PCB respects, and as such, will not make any further comment on this matter at this stage.”

Amir has played 36 Tests, 61 ODIs and 50 T20Is for Pakistan in a career that got underway in June 2009 claiming 259 wickets across all three international formats.

Snubbed by the national team Amir turned out in the inaugural Lanka Premier League T20 competition, helping the Galle Gladiators win the tournament.

Amir made his return to international cricket in 2016 having received a reduction on his spot-fixing ban, but since then his relationship with team management and the PCB has been patchy.

The quick has made his thoughts on various matters known through social media and chats with reporters and has been out of favour since the appointment of former skipper Misbah-ul-Haq as head coach.

Mental torture

Amir accused team management of mental torture and said that failure to select him in a touring squad of 35 gave him a wake-up call.

“No, I am not going away from cricket,” Amir said in a video which was reshared by journalist Shoaib Jatt. 

“If you have seen the way the atmosphere over here and the way I have been sidelined. I got a wake-up call there when I was not selected in 35 boys. If I don’t get selected in 35-member squad, then it means to wake up call for me,” Amir said in a video shared by Pakistan journalist Shoaib Jatt on social media.

“I don’t think I can play cricket under this management. I think I should leave cricket this time. I am being tortured mentally.

“I don’t think I can tolerate any more torture now. I have seen a lot of torture from 2010 to 2015. I was away from the game and sentenced for my mistake.”

Mohammad Amir

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