Mohammad Amir, the Pakistani pacer is still absent from the national team squad which landed in Ireland for the three-match T20I series. Amir, who came back from his international retirement after 4 years, was not given a visa for the UK.
The Pakistan cricket team, led by Babar Azam, will play a three-match T20I series against Ireland. The first match will take place on May 10 at the Clontarf Cricket Club Ground in Dublin, followed by two more on May 12 and 14.
Mohammad Amir retired from international cricket in December 2020, citing mental anguish under the previous management. However, he changed his mind before the most recent series against New Zealand at home and returned to the national squad. He grabbed three wickets in four matches, at an economy rate of 8.32.
The Pakistani team departed early on Tuesday morning for their tour of Ireland and England, where they will play a total of 7 T20I matches. However, Mohammad Amir had to remain back in Pakistan as his visa was still in process.
Uncertainty continues over Amir’s participation as Pakistan squad lands in Ireland
Visa issues to the UK is not new for Mohammad Amir. A similar situation occurred during Pakistan’s previous tour of Ireland and England in 2018, which resulted in his belated addition to the team. This has been because Amir was in jail for a few months as a result of his involvement in the 2010 spot-fixing case in the UK.
Amir, who obtained permanent status in the United Kingdom through his marriage to a British citizen, had previously visited Ireland in 2018. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is in regular communication with Cricket Ireland, stating that the hosts bear responsibility for timely visa issuing.
Both the PCB and Amir are waiting for the visa, while the Pakistani squad arrived in Dublin on Wednesday morning. Shadab Khan and Hassan Ali, who were in England, have rejoined the squad in Dublin.
The team will take a rest day on Wednesday and commence their first training session on Thursday.
Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Khan
Ireland v Pakistan T20I schedule:
10 May, 2024: First T20I at Clontarf
12 May, 2024: Second T20I at Clontarf
14 May, 2024: Third T20I at Clontarf
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