Pakistan should not welcome Amir back- Ramiz

[SLICKR392]

Why is the world so keen to see Mohammad Amir back? 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. I have. It is the most awful and sickening feeling. When a bunch of rogues you share the dressing room with are fighting tooth and nail to lose a match, it kills your desire to play the game, and whips up a desire to kill them. I got a crash course on fixing on a tour in the mid-1990s and it was an eye-opener for me. There were two groups within the team trying to alter results. One pack wouldn't let the other know about its potential kill - they would pick a game without letting the other know. The ODI series that followed the Tests was the nadir. It was either the fear of being found out or of an infiltrator breaching the band of brothers that I was not picked to play a single match - not even a practice match. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise for me. I remember the manager on the tour telling me privately that it was a royal mess and that he intended to report the rogues. But nothing came of it. This weak management set the precedent for the rise of player power, and a blind eye was turned towards blatant cheating and poor governance. The decay was allowed to penetrate deeper, eating away at the very ethos of the game in the country. It eventually culminated in the Qayyum report in 2000 exposing the extent of the rot. Sport is black and white in judging a performer. You err, you are binned. The international cricket fraternity is a small, tightly knit unit, and not a community where serious offenders are accepted and absorbed. But Pakistan cricket is different. It has its own shades of grey and operates under the assumption that everything is a conspiracy. Instead of taking the bull by its horns it has always refused to acknowledge, act upon or learn from shameful incidents. Smoking pot, fixing matches, using banned substances, forfeiting a Test match, biting a cricket ball, scuffing up the pitch on purpose, hitting a team-mate with a bat, and spot-fixing are some transgressions that elite Pakistan players have been guilty of in recent years. Now the Pakistan cricket establishment has decided to reintegrate an individual who was caught cheating, found guilty and sentenced for it. Pakistan has repeatedly shot itself in the foot and chances are it will struggle with this latest trial-and-error method too. It's quite ironic that while emphasis is being laid on cleansing the game of chuckers, the most serious of all cricket's bugbears, cheating, is being given official sanction almost. The argument put across in Amir's favour is that his talent was compromised at a young age due to poor judgement and his naivete, and because he comes from a poor family. If that is the case, there are millions of other Pakistani youth who have had a tough start in life, and less than ideal upbringings. Does that give them a licence to use underhanded means and cheat to make a living? In fact, to quote an incident, I was approached to find out why Amir had turned down a more-than-decent offer made to him by an English county just a day before he was caught. During my conversation with him regarding the offer, I realised that because the offer was a few thousand pounds short of what he expected, he was willing to let go of an opportunity to play and establish himself at a renowned and historic county. I came to the conclusion that he was not, after all, so gullible and naive about money matters. In the meantime, someone needs to ask the Pakistan players if they at all want Amir back. After years of perseverance, Misbah-ul-Haq and his men have been able to salvage Pakistan cricket and its image. Should they be exposed to a virus now? 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. Don't get me wrong - I am all for rehabilitation and for finding ways to set a young man back on course in his life. But it just can't be in the very game that he sullied and brought disrepute to.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/800583.html

[vayuu1]

Arey aisa mat bol yaar, warna bechare padosiyo ko sunder sapna toot jayega.

[Haarkarjeetgaye]

absolutely. It will be a disgrace. And it will mean people know there is an escape route

[sweetaskandy]

Remiz is a smart guy. An educated man. Most players are clean in any team - why contaminate them with tainted ones? I agree with him.

[tweaker]

Amir comeback will be disgrace for Pakistan cricket

[Pagalpanti]

It'd be interesting to see how fans react if he bowls a no-ball in his come-back game. And if he plays a role in their loss. For him, all it would require is 1 bad game and people would be on his case.

[mastana]

Guys i saw this picture on cricinfo it has a caption beneath it "Fast bowler Mohammad Amir had pleaded guilty to spot-fixing, and worked with the ICC on a player-education video during his rehabilitation" I am confused please tell me which one is M Aamer out of these two. Thanks in advance bhagwaan aapka bhala kare

[CoverDrive]

Interesting article would like to know about the incidents in 2000 he was talking about

[nevada]

Excellent article by Ramiz. I never bought into the "poor guy was too young to know what he was doing" theory.

[rkt.india]

In India, tainted players like Jadeja played FC, even became captain.

[Kalia_Test]

I don't the PCB is so merciful and genuinely trying the help Aamir...:hmmm: Maybe some bigshots in PCB, Pak Govt, military might also have been involved in fixing and Aamir threatened to spill the beans if he was not fast tracked back?

[moniker]

In India' date=' tainted players like Jadeja played FC, even became captain.[/quote'] Amir was indicted by a British court. Jadeja was banned by BCCI, which was overturned by Delhi High Court due to lack of evidence.

[rkt.india]

Amir was indicted by a British court. Jadeja was banned by BCCI' date=' which was overturned by Delhi High Court due to lack of evidence.[/quote'] But his ban is over now.

[Crookbond]

This is true of Pakistan, overall.

But Pakistan cricket is different. It has its own shades of grey and operates under the assumption that everything is a conspiracy.

Also, this paragraph is pretty damning on Amir

In fact, to quote an incident, I was approached to find out why Amir had turned down a more-than-decent offer made to him by an English county just a day before he was caught. During my conversation with him regarding the offer, I realised that because the offer was a few thousand pounds short of what he expected, he was willing to let go of an opportunity to play and establish himself at a renowned and historic county. I came to the conclusion that he was not, after all, so gullible and naive about money matters.

[adi B]

rameez is right.pak have come over that dark fixing period and have developed a decent young side with some settled players.u dont want to bring back tainted players and disturb a good environment

[beetle]

17 -18 yr olds are kids. He served his sentence and knows he will be always be under observation.He should be allowed the second chance.

[coffee_rules]

17 -18 yr olds are kids. He served his sentence and knows he will be always be under observation.He should be allowed the second chance.

He has not served the complete sentence, it will end in 2015..Pak is trying to fasttrack him back ..which is what Ramiz sees no need of. He can come in after the sentence and proves his fitness/form in domestic.

[moniker]

Ramiz always looks for cheap publicity. Don't know how this guy played 57 tests with only 2 hundreds and became captain too. He won't comment on people like Sameul and Warns when they resumed their career after completing their punishment but writing against Amir who was jailed at aged 17 and about to complete his sentence would give Ramiz a lot of coverage. There were many "powerful" cricketer in Pak team during Ramiz's time who were proved guilty in similar crime and Ramiz never said anything about them. I have no respect left for this guy.

Maybe because he cares for pak cricket first and doesn't want tainted cricketers representing his country?

[maniac]

Well TBH,Samuels was allowed to comeback,so don't see anything wrong with Aamir being given another shot...has he turned a new leaf I highly doubt it. He talks about Pitch dancing and Ball biting but he still is a big cheerleader for Afridi...Also don't go by moral high grounds that most Pakistani experts takes,there is always some politics involved.

[MUMBAISKIPPER]

Mohd. Amer should be burnt alive.....his deeds brought shame upon the game of cricket