From a promising debut to a dramatic fall and a triumphant return, the cricket journey of Mohammad Amir is nothing short of a rollercoaster. The slender debutant in the T20 match against England in 2009 had something more to offer to the cricket world with his outstanding talent. Debutant Mohammad Amir took only a single wicket in that game but went on to become a sensation in cricket news and gossip.
The youngster’s tale elucidates cricket romance. Hailing from Gujjar Khan, a city 55 km southeast of Islamabad, Amir began his international career at the age of 17 after fast bowling legend Wasim Akram introduced him to the national horizon. After watching him bowl, cricket pundits believed that Wasim had discovered a greater bowler than himself.
Despite a promising start, Amir’s career faced a significant setback due to the spot-fixing scandal that turned the tide for the humble soul who was smashing records with his sensational bowling. After his confession, Amir was banned from cricket for five long years.
However, that is now in the past. Mohammad Amir found his way back to Pakistan’s national cricket squad after serving the ban and completing the rehabilitation program. The sensational starlet was part of the squad visiting New Zealand for a limited-overs series starting on January 15th, 2016. Amir’s return to the national team was met with mixed reactions, but his performance in New Zealand silenced many critics.”
Here we take a look at the five best spells Amir has bowled in his brief career:
England v Pakistan at Lords (6/84), Aug 26-29, 2010
Pakistan, trailing 2-1 in the series, faced a must-win situation in the final Test match. England, relentless in their first innings, posted an imposing total of 446 runs.
Mohammad Amir’s fiery bowling spell, which earned him a six-wicket haul, was a standout performance. He dismissed key players Pietersen and Cook early, at scores of 0 and 13, respectively, preventing England from extending their lead further.
However, Pakistan’s batting lineup faltered, collapsing to a mere 74 runs in reply. England, not needing to bat again, cruised to a comprehensive victory in the final Test. Despite the team’s struggles, Amir’s performance remains his best bowling figure in any format of the game. His tally of 19 wickets in the series earned him the Man of the Series award.
Sri Lanka v Pakistan at Colombo (4/28), Aug 9, 2009
In the 5th ODI between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in August 2009, Pakistan aimed to salvage some pride after losing the series 3-1. They posted a competitive total of 279 runs.
Sri Lanka struggled against Mohammad Amir’s fiery bowling. Wickets began to fall rapidly, and Amir’s impressive figures of 4/28 included the crucial dismissals of Jayawardene and Mathews. Sri Lanka was unable to withstand Amir’s swing, leading to their collapse.
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Australia vs Pakistan at Edgbaston (3/27), July 5, 2010
The Shaheens secured a thrilling victory in the first T20 against Australia at Edgbaston, Birmingham, as part of the MCC Spirit of Cricket series. With a solid total of 162, Pakistan had a strong chance to wrap up the series.
Mohammad Amir delivered a fiery and disciplined bowling spell, taking 3 wickets for just 27 runs in his 4 overs. His performance was instrumental in restricting Australia to 151, leading Pakistan to an 11-run victory.
Australia v Pakistan at Leeds, Jul 21-24, 2010
In the second Test of the MCC Spirit of Cricket series against Australia, with Australia leading the 2-match series 1-0, the Shaheens delivered a stunning performance. Australia won the toss and chose to bat, but they faced a nightmare as Amir’s pace and Asif’s swing dismantled their batting lineup. The Kangaroos could only muster a total of 88 in the first innings. Mohammad Amir’s figures of 3/20 don’t fully capture the fear he instilled in the Australian batsmen, as evident from their body language. Amir went on to take 7 wickets in the match, earning the Player of the Match award
England v Pakistan at The Oval, Aug 18-21, 2010
English soil is a heaven of swing bowlers. However, with two of the world’s best fast bowlers, Asif and Amir, team Green could not capitalize on the situation and went 2-0 down in the 4 test match series before going into the 3rd test. Pakistan sent English batsmen back to the dressing room after scoring 233 runs in their first innings, where Amir had a brilliant spell. However, figures of 1/49 do not justify and reflect his petrifying effort. Pakistan scored 308 in reply. Then came the Englishmen, but they only faced Amir’s ruthlessness. Strauss, Trot, Collingwood, Prior, and Broad were the hunt of the day for Amir with figures of 5/52. Pakistan won it in style, and Amir, yet again, deservingly claimed the man of the match as well as the player of the series as well.