KARACHI: Former Pakistan fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar on Tuesday showed his interest to buy a PSL franchise as well as expressed his desire to take youngster Mohammad Amir under his wing and guide him back to the national team following his return to cricket after a five-year ban.
The 23-year old Amir was suspended from International Cricket for five years when a spot-fixing scam was exposed by a tabloid sting during Pakistan’s tour of England in 2010.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) lifted all sanctions on the trio earlier this month, making them eligible for selection in domestic and international matches.
Akhtar, the fastest bowler in history, said he was looking to buy a team in the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) T20 tournament that will be staged in Qatar in February, and wanted to recruit Amir, The Express Tribune reported.
“I am planning to buy a team in the PSL and would like to have Amir in my team so that I can guide him and make him an effective bowler,” said Akhtar, who retired in 2011.
Now 40, Akhtar’s career briefly overlapped with Amir, who made his debut in 2009 aged 17.
The pair shared the attack in two ODIs in the 2010 Asia Cup and two Twenty20s against Australia in England the same year, before Amir’s career crashed to a halt following the ban.
“Everyone knows how talented Amir was when he played cricket, so on his return he will have to work hard to become the same bowler,” said Akhtar.
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