Mohammad Amir's performances before and after ban/conviction

[Blistering Barnacle]

I was having a debate with someone over dinner tonight over Mohammed Amir's ban/conviction over the spot fixing saga.

From my memory, Amir continued to protest his innocence until the writing was on the wall and he had no other choice but to please guilty. From memory, until the day leading up to his trial, he pled innocent and acted like it was some conspiracy against Pakistan.

I remember seeing him on talk shows and the like saying he was a victim of hatred/racism or something against Pakistan.

He imo tried to gain the nation's sympathy by acting like it was an act against the nation, not against him personally.

The person I was talking to didn't buy this take, and said he was the first to admit guilt and was contrite and remorseful all along. I disagreed obviously.

I distinctly remember Amir coming on national television and saying how he was a victim etc and he was playing it up big time.

I don't recall if this was before or after his conviction/jail time. Anyone that can provide any links to pre and post amir conviction - I would appreciate that.

 

[Blistering Barnacle]

to add to my post, this person said Amir would have been incredible had he not received this ban, and that he was just a kid, etc., just the usual arguments for Amir.

My take was that Amir was a talented bowler in limited overs who did some awesome things, but when it came to tests, he just really had one great series - the same series he got banned from cricket over and also that all the main fast bowlers from both sides did extremely well.

 

[rockyboy2018]

He served punishment for his wrongdoings. He is as clean as anyone. No point in bringing whether he was innocent or not. I hope he learned a lesson or two from his wrongdoings and be a role model for his kids.
I always wonder why cricketers from a certain ethnic group are involved in match-fixing. Never heard a cricketer getting involved in this mess like Urdu speaking or Pathan cricketers. It is a cultural thing or what.

 

[PakLFC]

After his ban he was never the same again. The psychological trauma and damage was too much hence he quit. The guilt that comes with such things can be over bearing.

 

[Junaids]

Firstly, let me be clear that I assume that Amir is not 29 years old but probably 32.

Secondly, let me be clear that I would only select him as a horses-for-courses bowler to play white and pink ball cricket and Dukes ball cricket. I would never pick him to play in Asia, ever, and I would not use him in Australia either.

It's over-simplistic to say that Amir had one good tour in England and was never the same after his ban.

The reality is quite different.

Amir was always useless where a fast bowler benefits most from extra height or pace - in Australia and in Asia.

But he was terrific with a pink ball and with a Dukes ball, and in South Africa.

In fact, his final 4 away Test series had some of his best ever bowling figures:

In West Indies: 13 wickets at 17.46
In Ireland: 5 wickets at 14.40
In England: 7 wickets at 21.28
In South Africa: 12 wickets at 23.58

In between, however, in the UAE he took 1 wicket in 2 Tests at 164.00.

This is completely normal. A fast-medium swing bowler who is 5'11 tall is highly unlikely to be worth selecting in Asia or with a red ball in Australia.

I don't like or respect Inzamam, but he made the right deal with Mohammad Amir. Don't waste his fitness going wicketless on grassless Asian and Australian Test wickets.

Amir has one huge asset, which is that he can also score decent runs from Number 9 or 10.

Just keep him for white ball series and only use him in Test series with either a Dukes ball or a pink ball or in South Africa.

That allows you to have an attack in those spin-unfriendly series of:

7. Shadab Khan
8. Faheem Ashraf
9. Mohammad Amir
10. Hasan Ali
11. Shaheen Shah Afridi

That is a world class attack, but here are also 120 runs in that tail too - it will always turn 230-5 into at least 350 all out.