Mohammad Amir facts for kids
Amir in 2016
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 13 April 1992 Gujar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan |
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| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Left-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Left-arm fast | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowler | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 194) | 4 July 2009 v Sri Lanka | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 11 January 2019 v South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 173) | 30 July 2009 v Sri Lanka | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 2 October 2019 v Sri Lanka | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI shirt no. | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I debut (cap 32) | 7 June 2009 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last T20I | 16 June 2024 v Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I shirt no. | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008/09 | Federal Areas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2010 | National Bank of Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2015 | Rawalpindi Rams | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Chittagong Vikings (squad no. 5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2023 | Karachi Kings (squad no. 5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Dhaka Dynamites (squad no. 5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2019 | Essex (squad no. 5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019/20 | Khulna Tigers (squad no. 5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Galle Gladiators | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Gloucestershire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022-present | Jamaica Tallawahs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Sylhet Strikers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Desert Vipers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Derbyshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Source: ESPNCricinfo, 7 January 2024
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Mohammad Amir (born 13 April 1992) is a Pakistani former cricketer. He played for the Pakistan national cricket team. Amir is known as a left-arm fast bowler. He also bats left-handed.
Amir retired from international cricket in 2020. However, he returned on 24 March 2024. He played in the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup. Then, in December 2024, he announced his retirement again. He was part of the Pakistan team that won the 2009 ICC World Twenty20. He also helped win the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.
Amir first played first-class matches in November 2008. He made his first One-Day International and Test appearances in July 2009. He was only 17 years old then. His first international game was during the 2009 ICC World Twenty20. He helped his team win that tournament. Eight years later, in England, he helped Pakistan win the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. He played a big role in the final. He took important wickets like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shikhar Dhawan.
In August 2010, Amir faced a problem. He received a five-year ban from cricket. This was for breaking rules during a game. Amir admitted his mistake and asked for forgiveness. In November 2011, he was found to have broken rules. This was along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif. His ban was shorter because he was young and admitted what he did.
On 29 January 2015, Amir was allowed to play domestic cricket early. His ban was supposed to end on 2 September 2015. He joined Chittagong Vikings for the 2015 Bangladesh Premier League. He returned to play for Pakistan in 2016. This was during their tour of New Zealand.
In August 2018, he got a contract from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). On 26 July 2019, he stopped playing Test cricket. He wanted to focus on shorter game formats. On 17 December 2020, he retired from all international cricket. But on 24 March 2024, he came back for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. A few months later, in December 2024, he retired from international cricket again.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Amir was born on 13 April 1992. His birthplace was Changa Bangial, Gujar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan. He is from the Rawal tribe of Gujjars. He was the second youngest of seven children. When he was growing up, his hero was Wasim Akram. Amir said he watched Akram on TV. He tried to copy his bowling actions.
In 2003, when Amir was 11, he was noticed at a local tournament. He was invited to join a sports academy. This academy was set up by Asif Bajwa in Rawalpindi. After joining the national team, Amir and his family moved to Lahore. This was to be closer to top cricket facilities.
Amir married Narjis Khan in September 2016. She is a British lawyer. They have three daughters. Their names are Minsa Amir (born 2017), Zoya Amir (born 2020), and Ayra Amir (born 2022).
Cricket Journey
Starting in Domestic Cricket
Former Pakistani fast bowler Wasim Akram first picked Amir. This was at a fast bowling camp in 2007. Amir was 15 years old then. He went on a tour to England with the Pakistan U-19 cricket team. He was one of the best bowlers there. He took 8 wickets. In 2008, he took 4 wickets in games against Sri Lanka and England. He was great with his speed and swing bowling. He took 9 wickets in three matches.
In March 2008, he started playing domestic cricket for the Rawalpindi Rams. He also played for the National Bank of Pakistan. In his first season, he took 55 wickets. He got many top batsmen out. This strong performance helped him join the international team. This happened during the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup.
In July 2019, he was chosen to play for the Dublin Chiefs. This was for the 2019 Euro T20 Slam tournament. But the tournament was canceled. In November 2019, he played for the Khulna Tigers. This was in the 2019–20 Bangladesh Premier League. In October 2020, he joined the Galle Gladiators. This was for the 2020 Lanka Premier League. He took 5 wickets for 26 runs against Colombo Kings. He was the first to take a five-wicket haul in the LPL.
In November 2021, he was again chosen for the Galle Gladiators. In December 2021, the Karachi Kings signed him. This was for the 2022 Pakistan Super League.
International Debut
Amir made his international debut against England. This was in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20. He took a wicket with his second ball. He gave away only one run in his first international over. Amir played his first One Day International match against Sri Lanka. He took 3 wickets and scored 23 runs.
After the successful 2009 T20 World Cup, Amir joined Pakistan's Test team. This was for the series in Sri Lanka. He took six wickets in his first Test match. He got the wickets of Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara twice. He also got Mahela Jayawardene's wicket. He showed good batting skills for a lower-order player.
World Twenty20 Success
Amir kept doing well in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20. He took a wicket early in 6 of the 7 games. This included the final match. He was good at using short balls. His fast bouncers often made batsmen hit the ball for a catch. Amir often bowled over 145 kilometers per hour (90 miles per hour). His fastest ball was 152 kilometers per hour (94.4 miles per hour). This was in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 final against Sri Lanka.
His most important moment was in the final against Sri Lanka. He bowled fast and got Tillakaratne Dilshan out. Dilshan was the top scorer in the tournament. Amir ended the over with a wicket maiden. In the 2010 World Cup, Amir took three wickets in one over. This was against Australia. This set a world record for three wickets by a bowler in Twenty20. It was also 5 wickets for a team in one over.
Making a Mark
On 9 November 2009, he scored 73 runs against New Zealand. This was a record for a number 10 batsman in ODI history. Ravi Rampaul later broke this record in 2011. In that game, Amir and Saeed Ajmal added 103 runs. But Pakistan lost by 7 runs.
He impressed the Pakistan cricket team. Wasim Akram took credit for finding Amir. Akram later said Amir needed to gain more weight. In 2009, Pakistan toured Sri Lanka. In the first One Day International, Amir shared a 62-run partnership with Umar Gul. Pakistan lost by 36 runs.
During a match against New Zealand in 2009–2010, Pakistan was struggling. Amir scored 73 runs not out. This was the highest score by a number 10 batsman in ODI cricket. He had a 103-run partnership with Saeed Ajmal. But they could not reach the target of 212 runs. Pakistan lost by just 7 runs.
During the Test series against Australia in 2010, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, he took his first five-wicket haul. He got the wickets of Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, and Michael Clarke. On 24 July 2010, he helped Pakistan win the second Test against Australia. This was Pakistan's first Test win against them in 15 years. He took 7 wickets in total and was named man of the match. He was the top wicket-taker in that series with 11 wickets.
In 2010, Amir became the youngest player to take a five-wicket haul in England. He also became the youngest to take 50 Test wickets. Many former cricketers praised him. In the series against England, he took 19 wickets. This was the most for Pakistan and third overall. He also took two five-wicket hauls.
Return to International Cricket
After five years, on 13 March 2015, Amir played domestic cricket again. He played for Omar Associates. He took a wicket in his first over back.
On 19 August 2015, Mohammad Amir was allowed to play all forms of cricket. This started from 2 September 2015. On 15 January 2016, he returned to international cricket. This was in a T20I match against New Zealand. In February 2016, Amir took a hat-trick for Karachi Kings. This was in a Pakistan Super League match. He also played in the 2016 Asia Cup and the 2016 ICC World Twenty20. He later played against England. Some English fans chanted "No Ball!" at him.
On 30 August 2016, against England at Nottingham, Amir scored 58 runs. He came in at number 11. He became the first cricketer to score a half-century in ODIs from the last batting position. He was not chosen for the next match.
He and Sarfraz Ahmed set a record. They had the highest 8th wicket partnership in ICC Champions Trophy (75*).
2016 Asia Cup Performance
After returning to international cricket, Amir played in the 2016 Asia Cup. In the fourth match, Amir bowled very well against India. Pakistan was bowled out for 83 runs. Amir took 2 wickets in the first over. This put India under pressure. India chased the target with 4 overs left. Amir finished with 3 wickets for 18 runs. He continued his good performance. He finished with 7 wickets in the tournament.
2017 ICC Champions Trophy Victory
Amir played in his second ICC ODI tournament. This was the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. In the first two games, he did not take wickets. But he was economical. In the Sri Lanka game, he took his first wickets. He got Angelo Mathews and Niroshan Dickwella out. He also scored 28 runs from 63 balls. Pakistan was struggling at 162/7. Amir and captain Sarfraz Ahmed made an unbeaten 75-run stand. They guided their team to the semi-final.
Amir missed the semi-final against England due to back pain. His replacement, Rumman Raees, bowled well. Pakistan won that match by 8 wickets.
Amir was key in Pakistan winning the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. He took the top three wickets against India in the Final. This was Amir's second ICC final. India was in a strong position. Pakistan had set a target of 338 runs. India's top three batsmen scored 70% of their runs in the tournament. Amir got them all out. He trapped Sharma for a duck. Then he got the Indian captain, Kohli, out for 5 runs. Kohli was dropped earlier, but Amir got him on the next ball. Amir got his third wicket when he bowled to Dhawan. Dhawan edged the ball to the wicket-keeper, Sarfaraz Ahmed. Amir finished with 3 wickets for 16 runs. His team bowled out India for 158. Pakistan won by 180 runs.
Amir has called Virat Kohli the best batsman. Kohli also said Amir is one of the toughest bowlers to face. Amir's brother said this was what he wanted. After his past mistake in the same city, he wanted to make things right. His bowling in the final brought relief to his family.
Later Career and Retirements
Amir's performance in the 2018 Asia Cup was not great. He played 3 games but did not take any wickets. He was dropped for the last match. In his final Asia Cup game against India, Amir gave away 41 runs without a wicket. People criticized his performance.
In May 2019, he was chosen for Pakistan's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. On 12 June 2019, against Australia, Amir took his first five-wicket haul in ODIs. He was Pakistan's top wicket-taker in the tournament. He got 17 wickets in eight matches.
Mohammad Amir announced he was stopping Test cricket in July 2019. He had played 36 Tests since 2009. He took 144 wickets in his Test career.
Amir said he was not treated well by the PCB. So, on 17 December 2020, he said he would not play for Pakistan anymore. He called it "mental torture" by the management. He openly criticized the team management and coaches. He said they tried to harm his image. However, the coaches denied his claims.
On 24 March 2024, Amir changed his mind. After talking with the PCB, he made himself available. This was for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup in June. In April, he joined the squad for the T20I series against New Zealand. In his comeback match, he took two wickets. Pakistan won by seven wickets.
In May 2024, he was named in Pakistan’s squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. He took seven wickets in four matches. He had a good average of 10.28.
Amir announced he was retiring from international cricket again. This was for the second time, in December 2024.
See also
- List of cricketers banned for match fixing
- List of Lanka Premier League five-wicket hauls
