I am Being Tortured Mentally: Mohammad Amir Thinking of Leaving Cricket

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has said that he has been facing mental torture from the senior national team management and he doesn’t want to play international cricket anymore.

Mohammad Amir, who retired from Tests in June 2019 owing workload issues, said he doesn’t want to play under the current Pakistan team management.

The left-arm pacer pointed out that he got a “wake up call” when he was left out of the Pakistan squad for the ongoing limited-overs series in New Zealand.

“No, I am not going away from cricket. If you have seen the way the atmosphere over here and the way I have been sidelined. I got a wake-up call there when I was not selected in 35 boys. If I don’t get selected in the 35-member squad, then it means to wake up call for me,” Amir said in a video shared by Pakistan journalist Shoaib Jatt on social media.

“I don’t think I can play cricket under this management. I think I should leave cricket this time. I am being tortured mentally.

“I don’t think I can tolerate any more torture now. I have seen a lot of torture from 2010 to 2015. I was away from the game and sentenced for my mistake.

Mohammad Amir after not being picked for the New Zealand tour, went to Sri Lanka to feature in the inaugural edition of Lanka Premier League, where he played for the Galle Gladiators and was instrumental in guiding them to the LPL 2020 final where they eventually finished as runners up after losing to Jaffna Stallions by 53 runs.

The left-arm pacer had a brilliant tournament as he finished as the fifth-highest wicket-taker with 11 wickets in 10 games including a stunning five-wicket haul as he helped Gladiators bounce back from a disastrous start to finish as runners-up.

I Give Credit to Two People: Mohammad Amir

Amir said he is grateful for the support from former PCB chairman Najam Sethi and former all-rounder Shahid Afridi.

“I am being tortured again and again that PCB invested in me. I still give credit to the two people from PCB. I returned after completing the sentence of five years. Not that I returned after a year. Sethi Sahab and Shahid Afridi were the two people whom I will thank forever. Both of them supported me at a tough time. The rest of the team said that we will not play with Mohammad Amir,” Amir said.

Mohammad Amir at the age of 17, made his international debut for Pakistan in 2009 and played 14 Tests and picked up 15 wickets. As he was taking international cricket by storm, Amir was banned for 5 years in 2010 for his involvement in the Lord’s spot-fixing scandal.

Amir returned to international cricket in July 2016 and continued to put in match-winning performances for the Pakistan senior team. He represented Pakistan in 36 Tests, 61 ODIs and 50 T20Is, picking up more than 250 international wickets.