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Over the past few weeks, Pakistan‘s cricketing scene has undergone notable changes, marked by Babar Azam‘s return as the team’s limited-overs captain.
Mohammad Amir’s international comeback
However, amidst these transitions, the decision of Mohammad Amir, a controversial figure in Pakistan cricket, to end his international retirement and make himself available for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 has stirred both anticipation and controversy. While some Pakistani fans are hopeful about Amir’s potential impact on the team’s performance, others, including former captain and ex-Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja, have expressed strong disapproval.
Ramiz Raja’s criticism and concerns
Raja openly criticized Amir’s comeback, expressing a clear and unequivocal stance on the issue of cricket match-fixing, particularly in relation to the case of Amir. Raja emphasized the importance of transparency and honesty in cricket, indicating that he believes it is essential for society and fans to be aware of such incidents. Raja further recalled his experience of commentating at Lord’s during the fixing scandal involving Amir, where he faced intense criticism for identifying the fixers.
“My views on Mohammad Amir are very straightforward. I haven’t taken an oath to fix cricket, but I believe it’s important for society and fans to understand. When he was involved in fixing, I was commentating at Lord’s, and I could feel the intense hatred directed towards me because I was identifying the fixers. The amount of criticism I faced from the media during that time is something I can never forget,” Raja said.
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Furthermore, Raja asserted his uncompromising stance on tainted cricketers, stating that they should be expelled from the sport. Despite expressing sympathy towards them, he firmly states that forgiveness is not a part of his approach. He even goes as far as to suggest that if his own son were to be involved in such activities, he would disown him, underlining the severity of his stance on the issue.
“Wherever tainted cricketers exist in the world, they are usually expelled. While I sympathise with them, forgiveness isn’t in my book. If, God forbid, my son had done such a thing, I would disown him,” the 61-year-old concluded.
Resumption of Pakistan cricket activities
Despite the controversy, Pakistan’s cricketing activities are set to resume after the conclusion of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024. Under the leadership of Babar, the team is gearing up for a packed schedule, starting with a challenging five-match T20I series against New Zealand, scheduled to commence on April 18.
T20 World Cup 2024 preparation
Additionally, Pakistan will engage in T20I series against Ireland and England, serving as crucial preparation for their T20 World Cup campaign, which kicks off on June 6 against the United States of America (USA). The tournament holds even greater significance with a highly anticipated mouth-watering encounter against arch-rivals India scheduled for June 9.
