KARACHI: Mohammad Amir Pakistan’s fast-bowler has been granted visa by the British authorities for the upcoming tour of England, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official told DawnNews on Thursday.
After six years of absence the left-arm pacer will be playing the Test cricket at the Lord’s Cricket Ground which is the same venue where he played his last Test.
The cricket board awaits Amir’s travel documents after which the 24-year-old will depart to the British shores on June 18 along with the team.
Amir was named in the 17-man Pakistan squad for the tour of England, subject to visa, and the PCB had made a special request to the England home ministry for leniency in his case.
He made his return to international cricket, earlier this year in a T20 International in New Zealand after serving a five-year ban for bowling deliberate no-balls.
Amir, who has taken 51 wickets in 14 Tests, promises to be a threat due to his ability to move the ball both ways at a daunting pace.
The left-arm pacer was caught in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal that resulted in bans and jail sentences for him, former Test captain Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif.
He served half of a six-month jail sentence in England after pleading guilty to charges of bowling deliberate no-balls in the fourth Test against England at Lord’s as part of the spot-fixing deal.
The ICC also banned him from all cricket for five years and Amir, who was 18 at the time, later confessed and apologised for his actions.The ban was shortened by six months in exchange for Amir’s cooperation with the ICC anti-corruption unit.
Pakistan’s tour of England kicks off on July 14 with four-Test series followed by five One-Day Internationals and a T20 International.