Amir will have a watching brief for Pakistan in their tour match at Hove today six years after being involved in the spot-fixing scandal during the Test series against England. “You have the bases covered”, he said.
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Amir, 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.
His performances, though, have been monitored by selectors for a while, and he spent time in the winter with the England Lions – but he did not automatically assume a Test call would follow.
“I would expect Pakistan to pitch the ball up and take it away from him, posting three slips and a gully, while keeping open point, mid-off and extra cover to encourage the drive”.
Asked if Amir would get a tough reception from the Lord’s crowd on Thursday, he said: “None of us are without mistakes and he was a young fellow and misled. He’s got ability but what matters is how he performs here so I’m really looking forward to it”, he concluded.
“Our focus and concentration is to win this Test match and play as good as we can for our country and win this game”. I’ve had some success in the middle order and now it’s time to further that at the top of the order and I can’t see it being a massive change to my game’.
He is therefore free, after playing again for Pakistan in both white-ball formats and then being picked in their squad this summer, to take his first steps back in Test cricket at the very place he made his shameful exit. They are a proud nation. They love their cricket and the sport is watched by millions there.
It will be lost on few either that he will be re-engaging with Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad in opposition. Waqar Younis couldn’t use him properly, Shahid Afridi saw him as a threat (to his right to be the captain) but if any player can win a match for Pakistan in England this time, it’s this bloke from Karachi. “They have broken the rules, should pay the price and not be given a second chance”, Pietersen wrote in his column for “The Telegraph”. Their batting is not strong enough and England have a bowling attack that in home conditions can beat the best.
“I was 12 years old when I started cricket – school cricket – every school in Swabi one team”, Shah continued in English.
“I think our biggest challenge is going to be this wicket, because you look at all the Middlesex scores and they are all bore draws – 500 plays 500”, he concluded.
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If this is how hard Pakistan intend to come at England, it promises to be a fascinating series.
