Pakistan’s fast bowler and superstar Mohammad Amir has announced his retirement from International cricket. He has announced that he won’t play international cricket anymore despite that the fact that he’s only 28 and has a lot more to offer. Mohammad Amir has said he is taking an indefinite break from international cricket because of differences with the current management. The 28-year-old Amir was announced as new acquisition by Pune Devils in the Abu Dhabi T10 League earlier on Thursday.

 

Amir said in a video interview with Pakistani channel Samaa that he would be reaching Pakistan in a few more days (from Sri Lanka, where he has been playing the Lanka Premier League) and release a more detailed note stating his reasons, but said that it is clear to him that he cannot continue playing for under the current management. “I have been tortured,” Amir said in the video. The left-arm pacer, who arrived onto the scene in a T20I game against England in June 2009, participated in 147 international fixtures in which he took 259 wickets. He was part of the Pakistan squad which won the 2009 World T20I and was also part of the side that won the Champions Trophy title in 2017. “Amirconfirmed to the PCB chief executive that he has no desires or intentions of playing international cricket and, as such, he should not be considered for future international matches,” the PCB said in a statement. “This is a personal decision of Mohammad Amir, which the PCB respects.” Amir who announced his retirement from Test cricket in 2019 said he felt disappointed by the way he was treated by the board pointing to his exclusion from the 35-man squad for the limited-overs series in New Zealand. “No, I am not going away from cricket. 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 a 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,” he added. Bowiling coach Waqar Younis had recently stated that Amir did not quit Tests because of workload and the reasons were best known to the bowler. Amir who featured in the Lanka Premier League that concluded on Wednesday, had been banned for five years in 2010 after his involvement in the spot-fixing scandal. The 29-year-old said that he didn’t feel the support from Pakistan cricket fraternity during that period.

By Arvind Krishnan

Cricket writer, statistician and analyst. An unorthodox media student, marketing runs in his blood. Sports Marketer and analyst.