KARACHI- Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan today denied Mohammad Amir’s return into international cricket after a five-year ban.
The 22-year-old was on Thursday cleared to play in the domestic cricket by the sport’s top governing body, bringing him a step closer to redemption for his part in one of the most scandalous episodes in modern cricket.
Amir was one of three Pakistani players banned from the game for at least five years for arranging no-balls to order in a Test against England at Lord’s in 2010.
He was also jailed in Britain in 2011, along with former capital Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif. Amir’s ban was due to expire on September 2, but the International Cricket Council used discretionary powers to allow him to return to domestic cricket early.
The PCB chairman denied that Amir was going to be rushed back into international cricket.
“He will have to earn his place in the Pakistan team,” he said.
“Some people believe that we have fast-tracked his return,” he told.
“Amir pleaded guilty, showed remorse throughout the last four years, but the other two players did not,” said Khan.