Ramiz Raja's shocking attack on Mohammad Amir after retirement reversal sparks controversy in Pakistan

Former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja lashed out at Mohammad Amir for taking his retirement back ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024. He wasn't happy with the fast bowler's decision to play for Pakistan again and touted him as the tainted cricketer. 

Pakistan cricket in the last few months has become a box office. There has been a lot happening on the board, leadership change, and more. Apart from this, one of the major developments that took place was Mohammad Amir taking back his retirement and making himself available for the T20 World Cup 2024. 

Mohammad Amir called for his retirement from International cricket in 2020 and was stern in his statement that he would not make a return to the team. The fast bowler stated how the management of the team mistreated him which forced him to hang up his boots from the game for the Pakistan National Cricket Team. 

Since then Mohammad Amir has been playing in leagues all around the world. The fast bowler has been a consistent performer as well. However, since Mohsin Naqvi took charge of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), there were been a lot of speculations about Amir's comeback. 

All those turned true when Mohammad Amir surprisingly took his retirement back. The fast bowler has been training with the team and there are high chances that he will be making his comeback in the T20I series against New Zealand, set to take place from 18th April in Pakistan. 

As Mohammad Amir took his retirement back, Ramiz Raja didn't go easy on him. The former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman highlighted the fast bowler's match-fixing incident and talked about his commentary stint that saw him getting hatred for identifying fixers. As quoted by NDTV, he stated: 

"My views on Mohammad Amir are very straightforward. I haven't taken an oath to fix cricket, but I believe it's important for society and fans to understand. When he was involved in fixing, I was commentating at Lord's. 

"I could feel the intense hatred directed towards me because I was identifying the fixers. The amount of criticism I faced from the media during that time is something I can never forget." 

If, God forbid, my son had done such a thing, I would disown him - Ramiz Raja on Mohammad Amir 

Ramiz Raja further stated that had his son done what Mohammad Amir did, he would have never forgiven him. While calling the fast bowler a tainted cricketer, he stated: 

"Wherever tainted cricketers exist in the world, they are usually expelled. While I sympathise with them, forgiveness isn't in my book. If God forbid, my son had done such a thing, I would disown him." 

Mohammad Amir along with Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt were involved in a spot-fixing during Pakistan’s Test match against England at Lord’s in 2010. The trio then faced bans before Amir made his comeback for his International team. The fast bowler is now set for another comeback and will be playing under Babar Azam, who was reappointed as captain.