With the Cricket World Cup starting today, our team at ProperGaanda continues to provide you with a background for our national team. The second player we decided to focus on is the controversial golden boy of the team; Muhammad Amir.
Early Life
Mohammad Amir was born on the 13th April 1992 in the city of Gujar Khan, Punjab. Having a passion for cricket ever since he was a child, Amir was scouted playing cricket at the district level and was summoned to play for the Sports Academy in Rawalpindi. At the age of 15, he was nominated by legendary bowler Wasim Akram to represent Pakistan against an under-19 series against England. Amir performed beyond expectation, averaging 16.87 and grabbing 8 wickets over the course of the series.
Rise to Fame
In 2009, Amir was selected to be a part of the team for the ICC World Twenty20 . Amir made his One Day International match debut against Sri Lanka taking 3 wickets at an economy rate of 4.50 and also scoring 23 runs. Amir continued to impress as the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 tournament continued, taking a wicket in his opening spell in 6 of the 7 games he played, including the final. His Test match debut came against Australia in 2010 as he claimed his first five-wicket haul. He was influential in helping Pakistan win the 2nd Test match against Australia; during this match, he took 7 wickets overall and was declared man of the match. Overall, in the second series, he was the leading wicket-taker of both teams with his 11 scalps. Amir also became the youngest player to achieve 50 test match wickets. Controversy
In June 2011, Article 6.5 of the ICC Anti Corruption was imposed on Amir for being allegedly involved in spot-fixing scandal. As a result, Amir was sentenced to 6 months in Feltham Young Offenders Institutions. This led to a 5-year ban on the youngsters that stopped him from representing Pakistan in any cricket formats on the international stage.
Comeback To International Cricket
Amir made his comeback to the stage for the Pakistani Cricket Team in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. He played a pivotal role as the team won the trophy and was especially important during the final against arch-rivals India as he picked up three crucial wickets.
He, along with Sarfraz Ahmed, also set the record for the highest 8th wicket partnership in the competition.
Amir’s performance in the 2018 Asia Cup was mediocre as he was unable to pick up a single wicket in the 3 games he played. In his final Asia cup game against India, Amir was trounced for 41 runs in his 5 overs without picking up a single wicket. His performance was criticized by both his countrymen and the cricketing world, proving that the Mohammad Amir of the past was yet to return. Can He Lead The Bowling Attack at CWC 2019?
It has been a rollercoaster journey for the 27 year old fast bowler. Although Amir has showcased his brilliant talent at various stages of his career before, questions remain over whether he is capable of leading the bowling attack due to his recent performances. Yet, with a player of his talent he is undoubtedly out to prove his haters wrong and we hope he succeeds in doing that and help bring the cup home for Pakistan.