Amir was an integral part of the 2009 World Twenty20 winning squad and also in the side that made it to the Champions Trophy semi-finals later that year. But the tour of England – where Pakistan beat Australia in the Twenty20 series before drawing the two-match Test series – was to be his last appearance as the spot-fixing scandal was unearthed. However, despite the trials, the ban from cricket and the prison term, Amir still rued missing the high-profile Mohali encounter the most.
“I was so heartbroken that I couldn’t even watch that match,” said Amir. “I could tell from my family members’ faces that they would’ve loved to see me on tv then. I just got up and left. Missing that match was my biggest loss.”
Amir, however, remains optimistic about returning to cricket after his five-year ban ends in 2015.
“I’ve learnt from my mistakes. I cannot explain the pain I go through each day. It hurts to see the team play and then realise I can’t be part of that. I messed it all up because of one mistake. But I apologise for that and promise that if I’m given another chance, I will put in all my effort with sincerity and honesty.”
The fast-bowler added that prior to the spot-fixing episode in England, he was never involved in any sort of wrongdoing at any level in the sport.
“I played with honesty before I was forced into the trap. What’s happened has happened. I don’t want to get into the blame game again and just want to look ahead to the future.”
‘Friends’ never came to help me: Amir
Meanwhile, Amir said that the whole fixing fiasco and the subsequent jail term forced many of his ‘friends’ away from him.
“I got moral support from the ones I never expected but the ones who I considered my close friends turned away. Shahid Afridi motivated me during the tough days and I am very thankful to him. Kamran Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad have also been a great help as well as Shoaib Akhtar.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 6th, 2012.
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