Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir 'leaving Cricket for now' at 28; PCB issues statement

Pakistani pace spearhead Mohammad Amir, 28, has said that he does not think he can work with the current Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) management and it is best for him to leave. He has promised a full statement soon. After the speedsters announcement, the PCB has now confirmed Amir's retirement. Issuing a statement on the same, The PCB said that chief executive Wasim Khan spoke with Mohammad Amir, and the latter confirmed that he has 'no desires' of playing international cricket. 

"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. The 28-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," the PCB statement read. 

'I am leaving cricket': Mohammad Amir

"To be honest, I don't think I can play cricket under this management, I am leaving cricket, for now, I am being mentally tortured, I cannot handle it, I have seen it enough from 2010-2015. I have to repeatedly hear that PCB invested a lot in me, I am thankful to Shahid Afridi as he gave me chances when I came back after the ban," said Amir in a video that has now gone viral on social media.

"Everyone wants to play for their country, they just keep saying that I left Test cricket for other leagues around the world, I made the comeback through BPL, if I was dying for leagues then I could have said I don't want to play for Pakistan. Every month there is someone who is saying Amir ditched us, in two days I will reach Pakistan and then I will release a statement," he added.

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Mohammad Amir's cricketing career

Amir has represented Pakistan in 36 Tests where he picked up 119 scalps in his 10-year Test career from 2009-2019. The left-arm pacer has also represented the Men In Green in 61 One Day Internationals and 48 T20Is where he has picked up 81 and 59 wickets respectively. 

The premier quickie had announced his retirement from red-ball cricket at the age of 27 after which he had faced a lot of criticism from his countrymen as well as legendary pacers Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar. His most memorable performance was picking up three important wickets in the ICC Champions Trophy final against arch-rivals India where his opening spell proved to be too much for the Indian batsmen to handle in that summit clash.

Chasing a huge target of 339 to retain their title, the Men In Blue's top-order including the likes of Rohit Sharma, skipper Virat Kohli, and Shikhar Dhawan were sent back to the pavilion early on as India never recovered from the initial setback and were eventually bundled out for 158. Pakistan registered a mammoth 180-run win to win their maiden CT title. 

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(With ANI Inputs)