Some current players will not welcome back tainted trio: Tanvir Ahmed

Fast bowler says under no circumstances should Amir, Asif and Butt be allowed to play

Pakistan fast bowler Tanvir Ahmed lashed out against the tainted trio on Tuesday and said some current players will not welcome them back.

“There are four or five Pakistan players who have clearly expressed their refusal to play alongside these three. If that is the case in the national team, then why does anyone think that the domestic players will simply welcome them with open arms? We should not forget that it is the domestic level which forms the basis for the national team so the opinion of domestic players must be taken into account when deciding on allowing these three players back into the fold,” Tanvir said, while speaking to PakPassion.net.

Lashing out at the trio, the bowler said, “Under no circumstances should these three players be allowed to resume their careers. Anyone who has defamed Pakistan in such a manner cannot be allowed to walk back as if this was a simple thing. If we are not strict with these players then someone else will also do it thinking that they will also get away with it.”

Further, he added, “Someone who had no regard for his country and indulged in spot-fixing without a second thought should not be allowed near a cricket field, let alone wear the colours of the country! The fact is that even though the ICC slapped a ban on these players, the PCB really did not take impose any such sanctions which I find very odd.”

Read: Win World T20 and Pakistan will forgive you: Shoaib Akhtar to tainted trio

Tanvir also questioned why people believe that these players will be welcomed back with no qualms from the current players whatsoever.

“A lot of people say that Mohammad Amir was young and naive when he made a mistake in 2010. I would say that he wasn’t that simple and he knew what he was doing so let’s not treat him any different from Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif. They were all equally culpable in their crime of destroying the name of Pakistan by their actions.”

Recently Amir stated that he didn't begrudge any player, current or former, who is against his entry in to the team.

Read: Muhammad Amir visits Thalassemia patients in Lahore

"God knows ones intentions and I believe that He rewards people for good intentions and my intent is pure,” said Amir.

The 23-year-old added that “My focus is just on my cricket. I have set certain short goals for myself to stay focused, for example my current aim is to perform well in the National T20. If I perform well and showcase that I’m fit, it will be on PCB then to decide my fate. I hope these things with players will get cleared in due time.”