If Amir takes back retirement and does well, doors are open for him, reveals Misbah-ul-Haq
Misbah doesn't have any issues with Amir's return
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Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has made it clear that the doors are still open for Mohammad Amir if he does come out of retirement and performs well. He also added that playing against top teams like England and West Indies, ahead of the T20 World Cup, will be very beneficial for the side.
Mohammad Amir's recent meeting with the PCB CEO Wasim Khan has re-ignited hopes of his possible return to playing for Pakistan again. The left-arm pacer had taken retirement from international cricket in 2020 after his fall-out with Pakistan's team management. However, after he met with Wasim Khan, the 29-year-old had expressed that he might well return to feature for the national side if things go well with the board.
Speaking on the development, Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has stated that the doors are still open for the seasoned pacer if he takes back retirement and then backs it up with good performances.
"First of all, when it comes to Mohammad Amir, I have already said he was dropped based on his performance, based on his injuries. Amir then himself announced his retirement. If he takes back his retirement, and if his performance is good, then I have always said that the door is open for every player. The main thing is let Amir perform and if he is available ... then what happened in the past, I don't think about it," Misbah said in the presser.
The Men in Green are set to play three and five T20Is against England and the West Indies respectively in July and August, as they build up towards the T20 World Cup that is slated to take place in India, later this year. Misbah feels that playing against top teams will help the team and the players to assess where they stand ahead of the megaevent.
"England is, without doubt, a top team ... as is the West Indies. My belief is ... I also have the experience that if you play against good teams, your preparation would be better, you can judge yourself correctly as to where you stand. I'm taking it positively and it's a great opportunity as a coach and as a team that our preparation would be very good before the World Cup."
Over the years, Pakistan's fielding has been a cause of concern. However, Misbah reckons that their fielding has been getting better with time, whether catching or saving runs in the outfield.
"See, fielding is something where with practice ... the more you focus, the more you practice, it will become better. Overall, if you look at the Pakistan team, whatever series we have played, our fielding is better. There has been a lot of improvement in our fielding since the series in New Zealand. The players are taking good catches, ground fielding too has been good.
The former Pakistan skipper even cited that the standards have improved with the likes of Babar, Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, and Shaheen, all doing well in the field.
"Yes, the domestic tournaments we play, I can see concerns. We have to work on it. Our coaches at the provincial level, at the academy, there the fielding side of things is debated, we are talking about it. Gradually, we will look to improve, but the standards of the Pakistan team have got better. If you see, Babar, Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Shaheen, who are all very good fielders. So the overall standards of the Pakistan team have got better."
