Match-fixers should be banned for life: Pak pacer Amir

Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir, who served a five-year ban for spot-fixing, on Saturday preached that match-fixers should be banned for life.

Amir, who served three months in prison for spot-fixing during the 2010 Lord's Test, will return to the same ground next month as part of the Pakistan team for the first of a four-Test summer tour of England.

"I fully back that fixers should be banned for life," Amir, who seemed to be on the same page with England skipper Alastair Cook, was quoted as saying by BBC on Saturday.

"If fixing is still happening, then it's really alarming."

The 24-year-old left-arm fast bowler Amir said he felt "seriously lucky" to be able to resume his Test career.

"I was all excited for Test cricket because that is where my career was held back and I still can't believe that this is happening," he said.

Amir and new-ball partner Mohammad Asif were found to have bowled deliberate no-balls for money.

The duo, and then Test captain Salman Butt, were found guilty of corruption by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in February 2011, and sent to prison in November of the same year following a criminal trial at Southwark Crown Court.

Cook said he had "no problem" facing Amir as he has "served his time".

Amir further added, "In my opinion - because it's become a bit more prevalent - the International Cricket Council (ICC) should come out and say that if you are caught match-fixing you are banned for life."

--IANS

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