Riaz backs Amir to repair tainted image with fiery performance

Johannesburg : Pakistan fast bowler Wahab Riaz has called on Mohammad Amir to answer his detractors with a fiery performance, insisting that his side will rally around their ‘ young brother’ when he will make his Test return at Lord’s on Thursday.

Amir, who served a prison sentence in the United Kingdom and a five-year suspension for his role in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal, will aim to erase his sordid past when he will resume his Test career at Lord’s– the scene of the infamous case.

The 24-year-old, along with former skipper Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, were then found guilty of various offences of corrupt behaviour relating to the Lord’s Test between England and Pakistan in August 2010 by the independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal in February 2011.

Having made his comeback in limited-overs format earlier this year, Amir’s career will come to full circle when he will play the first of a four-match series.

The left-handed bowler is also expected to receive a hostile reception from local spectators.

Riaz, who also played in that unfortunate Test six years ago, said that Amir ‘will deal with all those things’ while insisting that his fellow paceman is ready to answer his critics with his performance, Sport24 reported.

The pace spearhead insisted that Amir has become a part of their family and also backed his teammate to take a five-wicket haul in the forthcoming Test match in order to repair his tarnished image. (ANI)