Former Pakistan cricket team captain turned commentator Ramiz Raja has slammed the lobbying for the return of paceman Mohammad Amir, who was banned for spot fixing, saying that his return would expose the team to the virus.
Amir, along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, was banned in a spot-fixing scandal on Pakistan's tour of England in 2010.
The International Cricket Council (ICC), at the request of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), earlier this month revised its anti-corruption code, paving the way for all the banned players to feature in first-class cricket a few months before their bans expire, Stuff.co.nz reported.
The PCB said that it would launch an appeal for Amir later this month and a final decision on when he can return to domestic cricket is expected at the next ICC meeting in January.
Ramiz questioned why Amir's return was fast-tracked. He wanted to know the reason why the world is so keen to see Amir back, and said that the managers of the game, who for whatever reason are trying to fast-track him into the very system that he had wronged, have obviously not experienced the pangs of betrayal and cheating that fixing causes.
Raja revealed that he had experienced how fixing can damage the game during the 1990s with a scandal which ultimately led to a life ban on then captain Salim Malik and fines on six leading players, including former captains Wasim Akram and current Pakistan coach Waqar Younis in 2000.
Raja said that the current players needed to be asked would they like to play alongside Amir.
Raja said of the current Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq that someone needs to ask the Pakistan players if they at all want Amir back, adding that after years of perseverance, the skipper and his men have been able to salvage Pakistan cricket and its image.
The former skipper questioned that should they be exposed to a virus now, and added that how unjust would it be to the performers who have toiled long and hard to make way for a man whose integrity is still suspect.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "former-pakistan-captain-ramiz-raja")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}