Pakistan’s promising fast bowler Mohammad Amir, who was convicted in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal, now faces a major visa issue as he could be denied a visa for the upcoming tour of England this summer.
Amir was handed out a five-year ban by the International Cricket Council (ICC) during the peak of his career and also had to serve six months in prison for bowling deliberate no-balls according to pre-arrangement during the fourth Test match against England at Lord’s in 2010.
The British immigration lawyers has suggested that Amir’s case would largely depend on whether his admission into the country would become contrary to the public good, adding that it would be at the discretion of the immigration officer who will deal with his visa application, the Express Tribune reported.
Amir displayed some extraordinary form in domestic cricket as well as in the Bangladesh Premier League ( BPL) before securing his place in the national team again after the completion of his five-year ban in September.
The 24-year-old Pak pacer appeared in two ODIs and 11 T20Is for Pakistan since his dramatic return, claiming a total of 16 wickets.
Earlier, Amir faced the same visa issues during Pakistan’s tour to New Zealand, but was later allowed to travel the country when both Pakistan and New Zealand board provided their support to the tainted pacer.
Mohammad Amir made his return to international cricket on the tour of New Zealand this January and also played in the recent World T20. A Test return is now very much on the cards in the upcoming England series if the visa problems are solved.
He has played in New Zealand, Bangladesh and India this year but successfully gaining a visa for those trips does not mean he will automatically be allowed back into the UK. He was denied a visa for the UK in 2014.
Pakistan’s hopes of offering a controversial recall to another convicted player Salman Butt for the England tour, six years after his involvement in the spot-fixing controversy at Lord’s in 2010, could be denied in their tracks by the UK Home Office, in spite of the willingness of Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, to consider him.