The stalemate of Pakistan cricket finally got over as Mohammad Amir offered a tearful apology to Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali, who accepted him in the team and started training in the conditioning camp in Lahore for January series in New Zealand.
Pakistan paceman Mohammad Amir broke down during the national conditioning camp and offered to leave the game before being accepted by protesting players, who had reservations training with him.
Mohammed Hafeez and skipper Azhar Ali refused to train with Amir but after Amir spoke to players at a meeting, arranged by head coach Waqar Younis and chief selectors Haroon Rasheed, the protesting cricketers finally relented.
Amir offered to leave the camp and cricket if he said, ‘others felt that he did not deserve to play for Pakistan.’
“It was a very emotional moment because Aamir was aware there was lot of tension in the camp because of him and at the meeting he broke down in tears. He said he was sorry for what had happened and again apologised to everyone at the meeting.
“He then said if anyone felt he didn’t deserve a second chance he would leave the camp straightaway as he didn’t want any more damage caused to the spirit and unity of Pakistan cricket,” the source narrated.
The source said Hafeez and Azhar had come late for the meeting at the national cricket cademy but when came face to face with Amir he also apologized to them and begged for their forgiveness.
“Hafeez also got emotional and hugged him and said everything was forgiven,” the source said.
The source confirmed that Hafeez and Azhar and now been training in the camp.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) ON Sunday got a document signed by its centrally contracted players in the camp in which a clause states they will have no objections to playing with Amir or any other player who has served his punishment for spot fixing related issues.
“The document which has now been signed by everyone including Hafeez an Azhar puts the PCB in a legally strong position and if any player now refuses to play with Aamir or any other spot fixing punished player he can be fined up to two million rupees,” a source in the national camp told PTI.
Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan who were not in the camp have not signed the document.
Only Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan who are not in the camp have not signed the document.