Fast bowler Mohammed Amir quits international cricket

Pakistan officials confirmed fast bowler Mohammed Amir’s engaging international cricket career ended on Thursday, according to The Associated Press.

Amir announced his decision to local Samaa TV, saying he was “mentally tortured” by Pakistan teammates and coaches, the national board, and by opponents wherever he played. Pakistan Cricket Board CEO Wasim Khan then spoke to the 28-year-old Amir.

“He has no desires or intentions of playing international cricket and as such, he should not be considered for future international matches,” the PCB said in a statement, cited by The Associated Press.

“This is a personal decision of Mohammed Amir, which the PCB respects, and as such, will not make any further comment on this matter at this stage.”

The board not thanking Amir for his services underlined the depth of the estrangement between them.

The left-armer took 259 wickets across 36 tests, 61 one-day internationals and 50 Twenty20s.

Amir was 18 when he was banned in 2010 for five years and jailed for three months for spot-fixing in a test series in England.

He was allowed to return to cricket a few months early and recalled by Pakistan in 2016.

In 2019, he no longer wanted to play tests, to focus on white-ball cricket and prolong his international career.

His last international was in August in a T20 against England. He was not part of the limited-overs home series against Zimbabwe and left out of the T20 series in New Zealand starting on Friday.