Ex PCB chief claims 'criminal' Amir should not be allowed international cricket return

Former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) retired Lt Gen Tauqir Zia has claimed that tainted fast bowler Mohammad Amir should not be allowed to return to international cricket.

Zia said that Amir's return might create problems for his teammates, as it would not be easy for them to adjust with the 'criminal'.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) gave permission to the banned Pakistan pace bowler to play domestic cricket, after a meeting held at its headquarters in Dubai on Thursday, the Dawn reported.

Reports have stated that the ICC would further allow Amir to play international cricket from September this year after completing five-year ban imposed on him in a spot-fixing case erupted in England in 2010.

Meanwhile, Zia claimed that the tainted fast bowler tried to meet him during a function but he refused to do so. He said that he observed during the function that Amir did not learn a lesson from the ban.

Zia alleged that that PCB and ICC were showing favourable attitude towards Amir but not towards other banned Pakistan players like Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, saying that other cricketers like Salim Malik and Ata-ur-Rehman, who had been punished in the past for the same crime, should also be allowed to play if Amir is allowed to return to international cricket.