Mohammad Amir: Anyone caught fixing should be banned for life
After serving a five-year suspension, Mohammad Amir is set to resume his Test career where it all began—the Lord's when Pakistan tour the island in July. Before his departure, Amir came down hard on match-fixers and said they should be banned for life while calling himself “lucky” to play again.
Six years after the infamous incident at the Lord’s, Mohammad Amir will travel to the same place where everything went wrong for him. Amir, then 18, along with then Pakistan captain Salman Butt, and pacer Mohammad Asif, was found guilty of bowling no-balls deliberately in return for money in the 2010 Lord’s Test in August against England. Amir then received a custodial sentence and a five-year suspension from the ICC. He made his return to International cricket back in January, this year, during Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand and has become an integral part of the limited-overs squad.
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo before his departure to England for the Test series, Amir said that he will try to help Pakistan win the series and “sign off with fresh memories”.
"To be honest, I never thought about my comeback and I feel terribly lucky to be back to play Test cricket again," Amir told ESPNcricinfo. "I was all excited for Test cricket because that is where my career was held back and I still can't believe that this is happening. You call it a coincidence or whatever, but to me, it is a blessing that I am starting right from where I stopped in 2010. That tour was marred by the controversy and that left me with unfinished business. My only aim is to be the best bowler of the series, get Pakistan to win the series, and sign off with fresh memories."
This fixing in cricket should not be allowed and anyone caught should be banned for life,"
Talking about the controversial case that cost him five valuable years of his career, the 24-year-old said that his case should be an example for others.
“This fixing in cricket should not be allowed and anyone caught should be banned for life," he said. "If anyone still hasn't learned a lesson from our cases, then he will be the biggest fool. Whatever happened
Also read, Why Mohammad Amir deserves a second chance
"If this is still happening it is really alarming and there is a serious problem in the dignity of the player. I think the player must alone be blamed and nobody can help this. Neither the home board nor the ICC nor the parents can help if the player doesn't want, to be honest. I think players themselves have, to be honest. I fully back what Cook has said the other day, that fixers should be banned for life," he added.
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