Pakistan cricketer Amir named among T20 probables after retirement U-turn

The fast bowler has come out of retirement and made himself available for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup.

Fast bowler Mohammad Amir has been included in Pakistan’s group of 29 cricketers who will undergo training at the country’s military base ahead of the 2024 ICC Twenty20 World Cup in June.

Amir’s inclusion comes a day after he came out of retirement and after the country’s cricket board announced changes to its selection process which made him feel “needed”.

The left-arm bowler announced his international retirement at the age of 28 in December 2020, saying he could no longer play under the then-management and that he was being “tortured mentally”.

“I still dream to play for Pakistan! Life brings us to the points where at times we have to reconsider our decisions,” he wrote on Sunday on social media platform X.

After “positive” talks with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials, he said the PCB made him feel “that I was needed and can still play for Pakistan”.

“I declare I am available to be considered for upcoming T20WC,” the 31-year-old added.

Amir’s precocious, stop-start career was halted in 2010 after he, along with then-Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt and fellow pacer Mohammad Asif, were banned for five years over a spot fixing scandal. All three were also jailed by a British court.

Amir returned to play for Pakistan in 2016. He has represented Pakistan in 36 Tests, 61 ODIs and 50 T20Is.

His international wicket haul stands at 259, with 59 coming in the game’s shortest format. As a teenager, he was part of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup winning squad in 2009. Eight years later, he played a key role in Pakistan’s triumphant run at the 2017 Champions Trophy in England.

Amir’s announcement came a day after all-rounder