“I want to see Amir back but only after considering the legality of the case and only after he serves the ban,” Ashraf told reporters in Dubai, where the Pakistan cricket team is playing the third and final test against England.
Amir, 19, was released from a British prison on Wednesday after serving half of his six-month sentence for his part in the scandal during the Lord’s Test between Pakistan and England in August 2010. His teammates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif are still in jail serving 30-month and 12-month sentences respectively handed down by a British court in November last year. All three were found guilty of corruption and receiving illegal money. The International Cricket Council (ICC) also banned the trio for violating the players’ code of conduct, with Amir receiving the minimum five-year punishment.
Ashraf, who took over in October last year, said the PCB will rehabilitate the youngster. “Definitely we will rehabilitate Amir through an education programme. He is a young Pakistani, he committed a mistake and it was a case of huge talent lost and once he serves the ban then he could come into the team,” said Ashraf.
Ashraf claimed Amir and the other two players had been “trapped”. “Whatever has happened we are sad about that, not only me but also most of the Pakistani people are sad for this young boy who, with the other players, were trapped by the Majeed brothers,” said Ashraf of the players’ agent Mazhar Majeed and his brother Azhar.
Good bowling making batting difficult, says Mohsin
Pakistan coach Mohsin Khan said good bowling from both England and Pakistan throughout the series was making batting difficult, as 16 wickets tumbled on the opening day of the third Test.
England, playing to salvage their world number one-ranked team’s pride, were 104-6 after they wrecked Pakistan to 99 all out on an extraordinary day for bowlers on a seemingly batting-friendly Dubai Stadium pitch.
Stuart Broad (4-36) and James Anderson (3-35) shared the spoils for England before Abdur Rehman (3-23), Umar Gul (2-28) and Saeed Ajmal (1-40) hit back for Pakistan, who won the toss and batted.
Khan praised bowling from both sides.
“The pitch was good, no doubt. We know the ball swings early in the morning but we planned to put up a good total and put England under pressure, so credit to them as they bowled well,” said Khan.
But, he said, Pakistan had fought back well. “After being dismissed for 99 we were in a difficult position, it was very disappointing, but the manner in which we have fought back by taking six wickets, making sure that we will fight for the result to come in our favour,” said Khan, a former opening batsman.
Khan said it will be crucial to keep England’s lead, which was of five runs at close, down.
“Obviously we don’t want England to get a big lead, we want to get them out as soon as possible and then bat sensibly in the second innings,” said Khan, appointed on an interim basis.
Khan said he has a lot of respect for England, despite them being 2-0 down after their ten-wicket defeat in the first Test and by 72 runs in the second in Abu Dhabi.
“I’ve said this to my boys before the start of this game that even though we are 2-0 up, but we have a lot of respect for English talent and their strength in the team with their bowling attack. We didn’t expect to first of all get all out for 99 but we fought back well.”
Anderson, sent in as a night watchman by England, praised Pakistani bowlers. “I think they bowled very well, definitely. They have bowled well throughout the series and so I don’t necessarily feel it affected our confidence. All our guys are confident, probably not spending the time at the crease they would have liked,” said Anderson.
Anderson said he enjoyed bowling with Broad. “We enjoy bowling in tandem, we grew together as we complement each other quite well and we talk to each other and he always fields in mid on or mid off for me. We chat a lot about the game and it works really well,” said Anderson.
Anderson hoped he and captain Andrew Strauss (41 not out) further increase the lead. “Maybe if we score a bit more freely tomorrow, if we can get 20 to 30 ahead with (Graeme) Swann and Board to come we will be in a good position,” said Anderson.
COMMENTS (6)
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Amir may be accommodated in the team after giving following punishment.
Checking of his current asserts. If it is more than his earnings of his total tenure of carrier then it must be concealed.
He must be sent to the jail for atleast 6 months and he may be given proper training of cricket in the jail from his own income what he earned during his last tenure of cricket.
He may only be paid 50% of his earnings till 2 years of his future income.
Hope this kind of financial losses will difinately set an example and lesson for other cricketers who will never dare to do such kind of nasty thing in future.
Mohammed Aamir should be back in Pakistani team once he finishes his serving time. Everyone deserve 2nd chance. He is a great talent for Pakistan. The Pakistan cricket board and ICC should use him as a role model and he can also deliver some good educational seminar for new comers in cricket regarding how to stay away from the spot fixing/ match fixing from his own personal experience. That makes a lot different just lecturing person on power points or using different tactics.
O come on Pakistan............. he is talented young fast bowler who trapped me knows you knows every body knows ...cOme back Aamir we are waiting for you badly
Come back Amir.. We want to see you in team.. U r a great bowler.
Good Luck Amir...we want to see you in the playing eleven as early as possible.