The left-arm pacer retired from international cricket in December 2020 at the age of 28. He alleged mental harassment by the Pakistan team management as the reason behind his big decision. However, rumours of Amir making an international comeback have been doing rounds now.
The same hasn’t gone down well with Akmal who has slammed PCB and taken a dig at Amir at the same time. The 41-year-old in his scathing attack has asserted that PCB was making efforts to bring back a player trying to settle in England.
He has also suggested the PCB to focus first on players playing first-class and toiling hard in Pakistan. Notably. Amir has primarily focussed on the shortest formats of the game and played in franchise cricket around the globe.
“We are making efforts to bring back a player who is trying to settle in England,” said Akmal.
“Playing domestic cricket shouldn’t limit a player’s potential, if they excel in all formats of the game, including ODI, T20I, and four-day cricket, and have the ability to make a comeback in Test cricket, they should be given the chance to perform. Age should not be a barrier if the player proves their worth.
“You should first pay attention to players who are active in first-class cricket. They should first do justice to those players. We are after him who has moved to England, trying to settle there. If he comes back and wants to play…he sure should get a chance but those who are in Pakistan, struggling and are working hard to make a comeback should be focused on first.
“Don’t they deserve a chance. It’s not just about Mohammad Amir or Junaid Khan or any other player for that matter but we should work on our vision and better our policy,” he added.
Coming back to Amir, the season 8 of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was when the prospects of his return to the national side were renewed. In the PSL 2023, the talented cricketer finished 14th on the list of highest wicket-takers. He picked nine wickets in seven matches with injury playing a factor as well. The glimpses of his previous self have caught the attention of PCB’s selection committee.
