"No forgiveness for match-fixer in my book:" Ramiz Raja on Amir's comeback

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja expressed his concerns over the return of fast bowler Mohammad Amir in the national cricket setup.

Recently, Mohammad Amir and Iman Wasim declared their availability for cricket, which confirms their participation in the ICC T20I World Cup 2024.

They were also part of a 29-member squad, that is undergoing strict fitness training under the supervision of military staff at the Army School of Physical Training (ASPT) in Kakul.

However, the former captain was not happy with the decision of the cricket body to include Amir on the national side.

"My opinion on this is very simple. While sympathy may exist for him [Amir], in my book there is no forgiveness. If God forbid my son was to engage in such actions, I would disown him," the renowned commentator said while talking to a private news channel.

“I remember the time when these players did fixing because I was doing commentary at Lord’s. People hated me because I was being identified with the fixers, in their opinion, and I can never forget the criticism we faced on media,” Raja added.

Amir's career hit a roadblock when he was banned for five years by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in a spot-fixing case.

He was caught, along with the then Test captain Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, by a sting operation into the orchestration of deliberate no-balls in return for money in a Lord's Test against England in 2010.

Amir returned to international cricket in 2016. A year later he helped Pakistan win the Champions Trophy with three wickets in the final against arch-rivals India.

On the other hand, Raja expressed satisfaction on the return of Imad Wasim, saying he has also performed well in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine. 

"He is a talented and intelligent cricketer who brings his talent to the fore," the veteran cricketer added.