- Thursday, April 25, 2024
By: Sarwar Alam
Fast bowler Mohammad Amir will join Pakistan’s tour of England having originally withdrawn from the squad citing personal reasons, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Monday (20).
The 28-year-old pulled out so he could be at the birth of his second child in August, but his daughter was born last week.
Amir will have to test negative for the coronavirus twice before travelling to England, where Pakistan will play three Test matches and three T20 internationals.
The left-armer surprisingly retired from Test cricket last year.
Amir infamously deliberately bowled no-balls as part of a spot-fixing scandal in a Test against England at Lord’s in 2010. He was banned for five years and jailed by a UK court.
The PCB also said the arrival of batsman Shoaib Malik had been delayed due to India’s extension of a ban on international flights pushing back his planned family reunion.
Malik is married to Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.
Amir will replace another fast bowler, Haris Rauf, who has undergone six coronavirus tests, five of which have returned positive.
The PCB was arranging for Rauf to fly to Britain on Wednesday but another test on Sunday came back positive.
All players need two negative tests before they are eligible to go on the England tour.
PCB said Rauf is asymptomatic and has been advised to self-quarantine for another 10 days.
The 26-year-old Rauf came into the limelight earlier this year when he performed well in Australia’s Big Bash Twenty20 league. He has so far played two Twenty20 internationals for Pakistan.
Pakistan play the first of three Tests in Manchester from August 5. They also play three Twenty20 internationals on the tour.
