Name: Mohammad Amir
Mohammad Amir is a Pakistani cricketer known for his left-arm fast bowling and left-handed batting. At 11, Amir was spotted at a local tournament and invited to join the Bajwa Cricket Academy in Rawalpindi.
Amir made his domestic debut in March 2008 for the Rawalpindi Rams while concurrently representing the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP). His impressive performances in domestic cricket, where he took 55 first-class wickets in his debut season for NBP, paved the way for his international breakthrough.
Amir was selected by former Pakistani fast bowler Wasim Akram at a fast bowling camp in 2007. He toured England with the Pakistan U-19 cricket team and was one of the leading bowlers, taking eight wickets at an average of 16.37. In the 2008 tri-nation tournament in Sri Lanka, he excelled with his speed and swing, taking nine wickets at an average of 11.22.
In the 2019 ICC World Twenty20, Amir made his international debut against England. He took Ravi Bopara's wicket in his first match with only his second ball. He played a crucial role in Pakistan's victory in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, consistently taking wickets with his skiddy bouncers and maintaining speeds above 145 km/h. Amir made his One-Day International (ODI) and Test debuts in July 2009 in Sri Lanka at 17.
Amir's performance in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy aided Pakistan's victory. In the final against India, he took the key wickets of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shikhar Dhawan, finishing with figures of 3/16. This performance helped Pakistan secure a comprehensive victory by 180 runs.
On 29 August 2010, Amir was implicated in a spot-fixing scandal during Pakistan's tour of England. He was arrested for bowling deliberate no-balls and was given a five-year ban by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Amir pleaded guilty to the charges and publicly asked for forgiveness. In November 2011, he was convicted at Southwark Crown Court and imprisoned for three months. His ban was considered lenient compared to his co-conspirators, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, who received longer suspensions.
On 29 January 2015, Amir was allowed an early return to domestic cricket. He played for the Chittagong Vikings in the 2015 Bangladesh Premier League and returned to the Pakistan national team during their tour of New Zealand in 2016. Amir took a hat-trick for Karachi Kings in the 2016 Pakistan Super League (PSL). He continued representing Pakistan in various formats, including the Asia Cup and the ICC World Twenty20 in 2016.
In the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 final, Amir bowled a pivotal first over, dismissing Tillakaratne Dilshan and contributing to Pakistan's victory. He continued to impress in the 2010 ICC World Twenty20, taking three wickets in a five-wicket maiden against Australia, setting a world record for the most wickets in a single over in T20 cricket.
On 26 July 2019, Amir announced his retirement from Test cricket to focus on limited-overs cricket. On 17 December 2020, he announced his retirement from international cricket, citing "mental torture" by the management. However, on 24 March 2024, Amir reversed his decision and made himself available for the Pakistan cricket team ahead of the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. He was included in the squad for the T20I home series against New Zealand in April 2024 and made a successful comeback by claiming two wickets in his first match back.