ICC allows Mohammad Amir to make immediate return to domestic cricket

Mohammad Amir

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has been cleared to play domestic cricket by the International Cricket Council (ICC) with immediate effect. The 22-year-old, along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, had been found guilty of spot-fixing during the Lord’s Test against England in August 2010, and was subsequently banned for 5 years in February 2011. Butt and Asif, meanwhile, had been handed out bans for 10 and 7 years, respectively.

Amir’s ban is only due to end on September 2, 2015, but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had requested the ICC to allow the left-armer to return to domestic cricket before the expiry of his ban, which has been agreed to by the sport’s governing body.

"The ACSU Chairman, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, with the prior approval of the ICC Board and the Pakistan Cricket Board, has exercised his discretion to allow Mohammad Amir to return to domestic cricket played under the auspices of the Pakistan Cricket Board with immediate effect. Amir’s five-year ban is scheduled to expire on 2 September 2015,” the ICC statement read.

“The ACSU Chairman had exercised the powers vested in him under Article 6.8 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code after he was satisfied that Amir had cooperated with the ACSU by fully disclosing his part in the matters that led to his disqualification, admitting his guilt, showing remorse and cooperating with the Unit’s ongoing investigations and by recording messages for the ACSU education sessions."