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‘I was screaming on the inside’: Mohammad Amir reveals why he retired from Test cricket

Hindustan Times, Delhi | Byhindustantimes.com
Jul 23, 2020 12:33 PM IST

However, Amir announced his retirement from Test cricket last year after taking part in the 2019 Cricket World Cup. The decision baffled many and was criticised by several former cricketers. But what prompted Amir to take such a step? He has revealed.

Despite being 29 years old, Mohammad Amir has had to experience a lot in his short cricket career. He came onto the scene as a promising fast bowler in his teenage years. The world was at his feet during the initial years of his career but then it all came crashing down. Amir was involved in a spot-fixing scandal and was duly banned for 5 years. He has made his comeback and has again become a part of the Pakistan cricket team.

However, Amir announced his retirement from Test cricket last year after taking part in the 2019 Cricket World Cup. The decision baffled many and was criticised by several former cricketers. But what prompted Amir to take such a step? He has revealed.

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“I know that if I play 3 formats especially test cricket, my body won’t let it happen. My body was so broken that people on social media started saying Amir’s swing is gone and pace is low and he’s not getting rhythm. So they should know Amir is not a machine and human and there has to be a reason that the pace fell, swing got lost and I wasn’t getting rhythm. I came back after a 5-year gap and I don’t want my career finished in 2 years.” Amir told Mushtaq Ahmed on his Youtube channel.

Amir also said that after playing the 2019 Cricket World Cup he realised that he had to cut his workload. He had a mediocre tournament and continuously dropped from the team.

“The World Cup axe was a big blow for me and I thought I’ve now gotten to a stage where I’m dying to play the tournament and I’m getting dropped so I had to decide about my cricket and how I can keep myself at the top level for the next 5/6 years. Playing is not an issue but staying at the top is and that’s a big challenge. Playing it’s no good if I perform in 1 match out of 3. Where Allah has given one respect they should maintain it, if he made me a good bowler I should stay at that standard and not be like others being happy getting the odd wicket bowling at 130. If I do that it means I’m not able to express my qualities, I know I can bowl 140 but I’m not able to do it so I have to find a way out,” he said.

“In the first World Cup match against the West Indies, I played with a spasm and you can ask Cliffey about this. (Pointing to his left collar bone) I couldn’t see my collar bone and I had taken 3 pain killers the night before and another 3 in the morning and my shoulder was taped. When bowled the first ball of the match I was screaming on the inside with the pain that’s how much pain I was in. Others wouldn’t have heard the screaming but I was the one who cried. During the World Cup, I had told Mickey I am retiring from tests and I will announce it because I need time to build my body and as long as I play the longer format, my body won’t get time to recover because I need a break to build it,” the left-arm seamer explained.

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