'Can't Take This Mental Torture', Pakistan Pacer Mohammad Amir Announces Retirement From International Cricket

Mohammad Aamir said that he is taking an indefinite break from playing for Pakistan because of the mental torture he received from Pakistan's team management.

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Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir announced that he will quit international cricket as the atmosphere is polluted in the Pakistan world of cricket and he is going through mental torture from the Pakistan Cricket Board. Mohammad Amir said being left out of the Pakistan squad for their ongoing tour of New Zealand was a 'wake-up' call for him and he has decided not to continue at the international level. Amir had announced retirement from Test cricket last year and was slammed by many for his decision. However, the fast bowler seems to have run out of patience now and said he cannot continue playing under the current Pakistan team management. Amir was recently part of the inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League after being left out of the Pakistan side for the New Zealand series. In a video shared by Pakistan journalist Shoaib Jatt on social media, Amir, who had an impressive campaign for Galle Gladiators in Lanka Premier League, said he will be playing franchise cricket but has made up his mind not to carry on playing for Pakistan. Amir had retired from Test cricket last year citing workload issues. "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 is a wake-up call for me," Amir said in the video.

Here is Pakistani fast bowler @iamamirofficial announcing retirement from international cricket as protest against Pak team management’s behaviour. he was talking to me pic.twitter.com/TMC2LDEZHb

— Shoaib Jatt (@Shoaib_Jatt) December 17, 2020

"To be honest, I don't think I can play cricket under this management, I am leaving cricket, for now, I am being mentally tortured, I cannot handle it, I have seen it enough from 2010-2015. I have to repeatedly hear that PCB invested a lot in me, I am thankful to Shahid Afridi as he gave me chances when I came back after the ban," he added. "Everyone wants to play for their country, they just keep saying that I left Test cricket for other leagues around the world, I made the comeback through BPL, if I was dying for leagues then I could have said I don't want to play for Pakistan. Every month there is someone who is saying Amir ditched us, in two days I will reach Pakistan and then I will release a statement," he said further.

'I give credit to two people'

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's Career

Amir made his debut for Pakistan in a T20I match against England in June 2009, participated in 147 international fixtures in which he took 259 wickets. He was part of the Pakistan squad which won the 2009 World T20I. However, his career faced a downward spiral when he was banned for five years over his involvement in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal during the tour of England in 2010. Upon his return to the international side, Amir played a leading role in Pakistan’s formidable pace attack and helped the side won its maiden International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy title back in 2017.