Mohammad Amir quits cricket alleging mental torture
Karachi, Dec 17: Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir on Thursday announced a dramatic end to his international cricket career, alleging that he has been "mentally tortured" by his national board's management.
The 28-year-old left-arm pacer made the surprise announcement in a video interview released by Pakistani website 'Khel-Shel'.
"I am quitting cricket this time because I have been mentally tortured. I can't bear this torture. I had faced torture from 2010 to 2015, I remained outside cricket for whatever the reason. I served the punishment and did everything," Amir, who is currently in Sri Lanka, said referring to the ban he served for his involvement in spot-fixing.
"But I feel tortured by this continuous talk that PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board)has invested (on me). I can't play under this current management."
Amir had last year quit Tests to focus on white-ball cricket as he felt his body could not take the load of playing all the formats. He claimed 119 wickets from 36 Tests after making his debut in 2009. He served a five-year ban from 2010 to 2015 on charges of spot-fixing.
"I can give my best for Pakistan in white ball cricket. But every month or two they say something about my bowling, or I am ditching this and that, there is no workload on me etc.
"It means that I have been given wake-up call that I am not in the scheme of things and I should be on the sidelines. With all these thought I am doing this (quitting). I am reaching Pakistan in one or two days and I will give a statement stating the reasons," he said alluding to his omission from an ongoing tour of New Zealand.
Bowiling coach Waqar Younis had recently stated that Amir did not quit Tests because of workload and the reasons were best known to the bowler.
Amir was a part of the Pakistan squad which won the 2009 World T20 Cup and was also there when they won the Champions Trophy title in 2017.
He said only two persons -- former PCB chief Najam Sethi and ex Pakistan all-rounder Shaheed Afridi -- had helped him after he came back after serving his ban.
"I will give credit only to these two people. Mr Sethi had helped me single-handedly ... and when everybody said after I came back that don't play with Amir, at that time Afridi helped me."
"I took my personal decision but it was presented in a wrong way that I don't like to play for my country. Who does not want to play for country?" he asked.
Amir participated in the Lankan Premier League (LPL) which concluded on Wednesday.
He bowled exceptionally well in the tournament for the Galle Gladiators, who ended as the runners-up after losing the final to Jaffna Stallions.
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Seven killed, three injured in separate road accidents in UP
Mainpuri/Muzaffarnagar/Deoria (UP) (PTI): Seven people were killed and three others injured in separate road accidents in Mainpuri, Muzaffarnagar and Deoria districts of Uttar Pradesh, police said on Wednesday.
All incidents took place on Tuesday night.
In Mainpuri, three persons, including a couple, were killed near the Shitala Devi Temple on Devi Road under Kotwali police circle when a pickup vehicle hit a motorcycle head-on, Superintendent of Police Ganesh Saha said.
The victims, Dharmendra Singh (50), his wife Baby (48), both residents of Ferozabad, and Sanjay Singh (40) of Tavepur village, were on the two-wheeler and were on their way to attend the cremation of a relative when the incident took place.
According to police, the pickup and a Wagon R car were attempting to overtake each other when the former went out of control and rammed into the motorcycle, killing all three riders on the spot. Police rushed to the scene and sent the bodies for post-mortem examination, Saha added.
In Muzaffarnagar's Charthawal town, a 30-year-old woman, identified as Imrana, was killed while another woman was injured after a speeding car hit them on Rajbaha Road.
Circle Officer Ravishankar said the victims were walking when the car struck them, throwing Imrana into a canal. She was declared dead by the doctors.
Following the incident, villagers staged a protest demanding action against the driver, who fled the spot without the vehicle. Police said efforts are underway to trace and arrest the accused.
In another incident in Deoria district, three persons were killed, and two others seriously injured when a car crashed into a tree in the Baghochghat area late Tuesday night, police said.
The accident occurred near Haji Market when a Bihar-registered Swift car coming from Pakaha went out of control and rammed into a roadside tree, leaving the vehicle badly mangled.
Police said five people were travelling in the car. Three of them died on the spot, while two injured persons were admitted to Maharshi Devaraha Baba Medical College in Deoria.
The deceased have been identified as Karan Kushwaha, a resident of Gopalganj district in Bihar, and Pintu Kumar of Dulharpur village under Phulwaria police station. The identity of the third deceased is yet to be established.
The injured have been identified as Govind Kushwaha (18) of Sisai village in Kushinagar and Bhola Srivastava alias Sonu (22). Police said the occupants had visited a relative's place in Kushinagar and were returning after attending a wedding function when the accident occurred.
Station House Officer Anil Tiwari said police had to use a gas cutter to rescue the victims trapped inside the vehicle.
The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination, and further legal proceedings are underway, he added.
