Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir, along with teammate Imad Wasim, recently returned from international retirement for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Their selection, however, sparked criticism due to their lack of recent domestic cricket appearances.
Amir addressed these concerns, emphasizing their consistent participation and strong performances in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He pointed out that the PSL is Pakistan’s premier domestic T20 tournament, making it a valuable source of form assessment for the T20 format.
“There’s been criticism about me and Imad being picked without domestic cricket,” Amir said.
“But what’s Pakistan’s top domestic T20 event? The PSL. And both of us have played and performed well there, along with other leagues. So why wouldn’t we be selected for T20s?”
However, Amir acknowledges the importance of domestic cricket for formats like Tests and ODIs. “I’ve always maintained that players need experience in first-class cricket and other domestic events before national selection. But in our case, it’s T20 cricket, and our form and fitness are evident,” he explained.
He also revealed that former Pakistan team director Mohammad Hafeez had previously approached him to reconsider retirement. However, citing uncertainties within the board and team at the time, Amir opted out.
With the T20 World Cup approaching, Amir and Wasim’s experience and recent PSL performances seem to have won the selectors’ trust. Their inclusion in the T20 squad highlights the growing significance of franchise leagues like the PSL in identifying talent for the national team, particularly in the shorter format.
