Karachi : PCB may be working on Muhammad Aamir’s international return, but the tainted pacer’s comeback is facing resistance from a few national selectors, who are ready to even step down if the left-armer is picked in the Pakistan side. According to a reliable source in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), former pacer Kabir Khan has made it clear to chief selector Haroon Rasheed that he should be released from the selection panel if Aamir is going to be recalled to the national side. “Kabir has made this clear to the chief selector that if Aamir is considered than he will not make a fuss but he should be released from his duties as national selector,” the source told PTI. He said the chief selector had tried in vain to convince Kabir, who has also coached the Afghanistan team, to change his stance but to no avail.
“As a result of Kabir’s stance the two other selectors Saleem Jaffer and Azhar Khan are also uncertain now whether to back Aamir’s return to the national side,” the source said. He said the chief selector had tried to arrange a meeting of the selectors with Chairman Shaharyar Khan to sort out the matter after Kabir submitted his views in writing, but the meeting could not be held due to various reasons. Aamir is presently attending a conditioning camp in Lahore under the supervision of head coach Waqar Younis, who wants to spend time with the youngster and decide whether attitude, behavior and cricketing wise he is ready for a international comeback. The interesting part is that many of the leading Pakistan team players are yet to join the camp including Misbah-ul-Haq, Muhammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali to name a few as they are busy with their domestic first class matches here.
Aamir was told to reach Lahore to attend the short conditioning camp which began today instead of coming here to play the latest super-eight round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first-class tournament. Aamir, Salman Butt and Muhammad Asif all served five-year bans and varying jail terms in the United Kingdom for spot fixing from 2010 to 2015. Their bans expired in September this year after which they were eligible to resume playing cricket.
