'He can play for Pakistan if...' - PCB cheif Najam Sethi opens up on Mohammad Amir's international comeback

Pakistan had a poor outing at home in 2022 as they lost the seven-match T20I series against England, lost in the 20-20 World Cup summit clash against the same opponent and went on to lose against Ben Stokes and men 0-3 in their own backyard, tasting their first-ever whitewash in 75-year history. 

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Much to the dreariness of the Pakistani fans, the team drew the Test series against New Zealand and eventually lost the ODI series in 2023, ending their run at home at a record low. On the back of their continued poor run, fans demanded the comeback of former Pakistani pacer Mohammad Amir and the removal of Babar Azam as their skipper. 

Opening up on Amir’s comeback, the chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Najam Sethi said that the left-armer could make a comeback if the former decides to take his retirement back. Sethi voiced out that he is against match-fixing and claimed that the player, however, should be given a chance to play if he had completed his punishment. 

Could Najam Sethi convince Mohammad Amir to make a comeback in 2023?

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If at all Amir decides to reverse his decision, it would come as a blessing for Pakistan ahead of the 50-over World Cup scheduled to take place in India later in the year. For the unversed, it was the left-armer who played a pivotal role in rattling the Indian top order helping Pakistan win the Champions Trophy after defeating Virat Kohli and his men in 2017. 

“Mohammad Amir can play international cricket for Pakistan if he takes his retirement back. I always took a strong stance against match-fixing. I believe no convicted player should be spared, but at the same time, a player should be allowed to resume international cricket once he has completed his years of penalty,” Sethi was quoted as saying. 

With Haroon Rasheed being appointed as the new chief selection of the selection committee, it remains to be seen if the PCB would make aggressive changes to the squad, given that they have the Asia Cup 2023 and the multinational tournament lined up this year.