'Papa Mickey Arthur Won't Be There Always': Shoaib Akhtar Taunts Mohammed Amir To 'Grow Up'

Mohammed Amir announced retirement from the sport in January following a fall-out with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The pacer had earlier lashed out at the PCB management. 

Karachi: Pakistan cricket is always in the headlines due to the controversial statements by their cricketers. This time, Shoaib Akhtar has given a piece of his mind to the retired fast-bowler Mohammed Amir. He has apparently urged Amir to "grow up" and not put the blame on management for not getting selected. 

Mohammed Amir announced retirement from the sport in January following a fall-out with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The pacer had earlier lashed out at the PCB management. 

“Sometimes you have good days and sometimes you have bad days. Amir should have realized that papa Mickey Arthur will not always be there to safeguard him. Sometimes you have to grow up. I am saying this for Amir. Sometimes you have to grow up. You don’t let it go but you mature enough to realize that the management is not according to my wishes, now I have to raise my performance and level of hard work," said Shoaib Akhtar on PTV Sports.

Akhtar also gave Hafeez's example to sd"The management was also against Hafeez. What did Hafeez do that was different? He just made runs and nothing else. He didn’t give the management an envelope full of cash. Amir should have learned from Hafeez,” Akhtar said.

“Najam Sethi had a big role in bringing Mohammad Amir back. Respect the fact that Najam Sethi and the board worked very hard in bringing him back. It was a very hard process. This is a favor the PCB did for Amir. Amir won some crucial matches for Pakistan in the Champions Trophy which includes the final. After that, his performances deteriorated, a stance of Misbah which is right. Misbah is not in the wrong here. He is also right when he says that Amir’s pace has gone down. There is nothing wrong with that assessment,” he added.

The 28-year old pacer retired from all forms of international cricket after he was dropped from the 35-member squad. He had his differences with the Pakistan selection committee as dealing with them was like "mental torture" for him. 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.