Asia Cup 2023: Mohammad Amir To Play For Pakistan Again? Mickey Arthur Gives Stunning Take On Pak Pacer

Derbyshire head of cricket Mickey Arthur has heaped praise on left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir. Last month, the county outfit confirmed the signing of the Pakistani pacer as an overseas player for the first half of the 2024 season. Mohammad Amir is expected to play in the Championship and T20 Blast.

Mohammad Amir has already retired from international cricket and has spent much of the last two years playing in T20 leagues across the world. In the last couple of years, he has plied his trade in the Pakistan Super League, Bangladesh Premier League, Caribbean Premier League, Lanka Premier League as well as The Hundred.

As far as playing red-ball cricket is concerned, Mohammad Amir played his last first-class game in May 2022 when he played for Gloucestershire against Hampshire. The star pacer has also plied his trade for Essex in county cricket. And as Mohammad Amir gears up for his new county stint, he has received a lot of praise from his former Pakistan head coach.

“Just very simply, he is still one of the best bowlers in the world. He swings it beautifully; he’s a match-winner. Amir is just what we needed for our setup. He is just a massive asset to us,” said Arthur.

A return on the cards for Mohammad Amir:

With Mohammad Amir keeping the doors for an international return open, working with Arthur could make things easier for him. Arthur is presently serving as the team director for Pakistan on a part-time basis. He was also a regular in the Pakistan team when Arthur was the head coach and had played a starring role in Pakistan’s victory at the 2017 Champions Trophy.

Earlier this year, he had said he would be available to play for Pakistan again only once the support staff led by Misbah-ul-Haq exits, saying: “I would like to clarify that yes I will be available for Pakistan only once this management leaves. so please stop spreading fake news just to sell your story.”

The pacer is excited to work with the former Australia and South Africa coach once again and a good performance with Derbyshire could put him in contention for a recall from the Pakistan team.

“I’ve enjoyed my experiences of county cricket in the past and joining up with Mickey, who I’ve had so much success with internationally, is something I’m looking forward to,” Amir said in an official release.

“The County Championship is so special and I’ve always enjoyed playing first-class cricket in England. I’ve spoken to Mickey about the quality in the squad and I want to put in the performances to help Derbyshire challenge in red and white ball cricket next summer,” he added.