Shoaib Malik backs tainted Amir’s return to international cricket

Karachi: Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik has said that he has no problem with Mohammad Amir’s return to the international cricket, saying that the disgraced fast bowler has served his punishment.

The 33-year-old, who recently took retirement from Test cricket after making a comeback to the format after a gap of five years, revealed that he was really fond of Amir and described the left-hander as a `good` boy,PakPassion.net reported.

Malik, however, admitted that what Amir had done was wrong, but added that authorities have given him the necessary punishment.

Malik, who claimed his best Test figures of four for 33 against England in his final Test match in Sharjah, further said that he would respect the decision of the relevant authorities on the return of Amir.

Earlier, Amir had produced an impressive performance in domestic cricket, taking nine wickets in seven matches in Bangladesh’s Twenty20 league after ending his five-year ban for spot-fixing in September.

Besides Amir, former skipper Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif were also found guilty of various offences of corrupt behaviour relating to the Lord’s Test between England and Pakistan in August 2010 by the independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal on February 5, 2011. (ANI)