Johannesburg : England skipper Alastair Cook believes that Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir will face hostile reception from local spectators if he makes his Test return at Lord’s after completing his five-year suspension for spot-fixing in September last year.
Amir, along with former skipper Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, were 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 in February 2011.
Amir now faces the mental challenge of bowling in the same country and at the same venue where he committed the crime.
Earlier this year, Amir was also taunted by the New Zealand stadium announcer with a sound of a cash register during their limited-overs series.
Insisting that fans’ hostile reception is a part and parcel of his punishment, Cook called on Amir to cope with the circumstances that comes in his way, Sport24 reported.
However, the 31-year-old skipper, who was also a part of the England squad that played controversial 2010 Lord’s Test, said that his side wouldn’t be affected by the same and that they would only concentrate on playing their game.
While reiterating his call for life-bans for future match-fixers, Cook said that he had no issue playing against former spot-fixer Amir as he had already served his part of punishment.
England will play a four-match Test series and a five-match ODI series against Pakistan, starting from July 14 at Lord’s. (ANI)