Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir retired from international cricket in 2020. His retirement at the age of just 28 sparked a storm of criticism. Amir has now opened up about the circumstances and why he was forced to retire. Amir said that what happened to him should never happen in the life of any cricketer.
In an interview with News18, Amir said, "Retiring from the game of my beloved country is not an easy task. I have thought a lot about this decision. I have talked to people close to me. Then I have taken the decision. If I talk about why I have retired, it will be very ugly. I hope our players, especially the young ones, do not have to face something like what happened to me. I do not want our young players to suffer and sacrifice their careers like I did."
He further said, "I was not shown any respect. That is why I was forced to decide to retire. Those who are in charge of Pakistan cricket have done their job. They have some responsibilities, they have to make decisions, I had my career. But I could not take it forward."
Amir also regrets not being able to play Tests for Pakistan on home soil. He said, "Not being able to play any Tests on home soil is very painful. There were several reasons behind it. When I started international cricket, there were no matches in Pakistan. After that, I retired from Test cricket."
Still, Amir said it was a matter of pride to be able to play for the country, "I am still proud. I have been able to represent Pakistan in Test cricket not once, not twice, but 36 times."
