Wasim Akram criticises PCB's decision to drop Mohammad Amir for T20I series against Bangladesh

Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram has slammed Pakistan Cricket Board for their decision to drop Mohammad Amir from the T20I team for the series against Bangladesh. Pakistan did not have any trouble in seeing off Bangladesh as they won the three-match series convincingly. The world number one T20I side thrashed the ‘Tigers’ by 5 wickets in the series-opener and by 9 wickets in the next game before the third was abandoned due to rain.

It was a much-needed series win for Pakistan after their dismal performance against Sri Lanka and Australia in the second half of 2019. They suffered a humiliating whitewash at the hands of Sri Lanka in the three-match series at home before losing 2-0 in Australia. But while the Men in Green did not miss Amir much, Wasim Akram was not at all impressed with his omission from the team.

The legendary bowler said that he cannot understand the motive behind dropping Amir for the Bangladesh series. Akram also stated that the PCB should not drop the bowler from the team just because he has retired from Tests.

“It’s beyond me why they dropped Mohammad Amir from the T20I squad for the Bangladesh series. If he doesn’t want to play Test cricket, then that’s the end of it but he should not be dropped from the T20I team,” Wasim Akram was quoted as saying by Pakistani journalist Saj Sadiq.

Wasim Akram had earlier lashed out at Mohammad Amir

While Wasim Akram has backed Amir to be in the T20I team now, he had previously criticised the pacer for retiring from Tests at an age of 27. When Pakistan were struggling in Australia a couple of months ago, Akram had slammed Amir for waving goodbye to Tests.  The bowling legend had gone as far as saying that had he been in charge of cricket affairs, he would not have offered Amir a central contract.

“Wahab Riaz, I’m all for him, he’s 35 years of age, OK he retired from Test cricket, fair enough. But Mohammad Amir, the Pakistan board and the whole country invested five years in him,” he had said. He’s 27 and he’s retired from red-ball cricket. If I was the Pakistan Cricket Board, I wouldn’t have given him a central contract because he retired a month ago,” Akram added.

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