Mohammad Amir announces retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect

Mohammad Amir was going through a rather torrid time in his international career. Owing to his indifferent run of form, he couldn’t cement his place in the Pakistan team. He also wasn’t included in the initial squad for the recently concluded World Cup in England and Wales. However, he broke into the team for the mega event and didn’t flatter to deceive by any stretch of the imagination.

The southpaw finished the tournament with 17 wickets from eight matches with best figures of 5/30 against Australia at the Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton. The performance came on a day when the Aussies scored over 300 runs on an excellent batting strip. Amidst his good show in limited-overs cricket, Amir has taken a massive decision in his cricketing career.

Amir’s topsy-turvy Test career

The Gujjar Khan-born speedster has announced his retirement from Test cricket as per reports in Cricbuzz. In the format, he made his debut way back in 2009 as a teenager and captured the imagination of the fans and the selectors. Amir generated pace and also swung the leather to ruffle the batters. But the 2010 Lord’s Test versus England turned out to be a detriment in his career.

In the very next year, he was handed a five-year ban following an investigation by an ICC tribunal. The likes of Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif were also found guilty in the same matter and unlike Amir, the duo hasn’t represented Pakistan anymore. Amir made his comeback in the 2016 Asia Cup in Bangladesh, but he started blowing hot and cold and that raised questions over his place.

But he’ll be glad that he found his mojo back in the World Cup with the thunderous performances. As far as Amir’s Test career is concerned, the southpaw ended up plying his trade in 36 matches in which he picked up 119 wickets with six four-wicket hauls and four five-wicket hauls.

His best number of 6/44 came against the West Indies at Kingston on April 2017. He was no mug with the bat either, having scored 751 runs at an average of 13.41. Amir last played Test cricket back in January 2019 versus South Africa at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.