LAHORE: Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf has welcomed the decision of the International Cricket Council (ICC) of allowing paceman Mohammad Amir to resume domestic cricket, seven months before the five-year spot-fixing ban ends.

Talking to Dawn on Friday, Zaka said now it was up to Amir to restore his image in the world of cricket which, he emphasised, would be a difficult task.

“No one can support Amir for his wrong act he committed in 2010, rather everyone was disappointed with the wrong he did. However, now as he has completed his punishment and also showed remorse he should be given a chance to return as a reformed player to serve his country and the game of cricket.

“However, it is also true that it will be hard for him to restore his prestige in cricket — he will have to prove it all with his actions,” he added.

In 2012, Zaka recalled, he as PCB chairman had taken the initiative to get Amir’s ban reduced, mainly because of his tender age and cooperation the youngster had extended to the ICC by becoming approver in the spot-fixing case.

“I had tabled the proposal before the ICC members and they had agreed to it. And after I quit my successor Najam Sethi followed the ground work I had done,” Zaka claimed.

Zaka hoped Amir would prove an asset for the national team, which currently lacks strength in their bowling, which he reckoned was proved in the two practice matches Pakistan’s World Cup players featured in New Zealand recently. “The situation looks bleak for Pakistan whose bowling attack could not defend big totals of 313 and 267 in these matches even against a second-string New Zealand side,” he noted.

Previously, only frail batting worried Pakistan but now their bowling had also become vulnerable which was indeed made their World Cup chances slim, he regretted.

Zaka, however, still hoped Pakistan team would not disappoint the nation with their performance in the mega event.

To a question, Zaka said though the case of Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, the other two culprits of the same spot-fixing saga, was different, he hoped the ICC would do justice with them too.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2015

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