Why Mohammad Amir deserves a second chance?

Mohammad Amir deserves a second chance

Recently, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent a letter to International Cricket Council (ICC), international cricket’s governing body to review the conditions of Mohammad Amir’s spot-fixing ban. As per the revised anti-corruption code, banned players could be allowed to return to domestic cricket before the end of their penalty if they meet certain criteria.

According to PCB, Amir has fulfilled all the criteria and thus qualifies for reintegration.

Mohammad Amir was handed a five-year ban from the game after being found guilty of bowling no-balls on demand during the Lord’s Test against England in 2010. His teammates, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt were also handed bans. A year later, a London court handed out jailed terms to the three players and their agent.

As a nation, Pakistan is wading through troubled waters and it is their sportsmen who, generally give them joy and pleasure to overcome the depressive situations. But this saga had hurt the passionate Pakistani cricket followers badly. Though Asif and Butt received no sympathy, many empathized with Amir simply because of his age and talent.

After ICC’s revised anti-corruption code, it seems that Mohammad Amir will be able to rekindle his international career. But few people don’t feel that Mohammad Amir should be allowed to feature in the national team again. According to them, his presence will pollute the dressing room environment and kill the desire to play the game.

Forgiveness is a trait that needs to be implemented in Amir’s case

I can realize those people’s anger regarding Amir’s crime and I endorse their feelings. But I also believe that forgiveness is a great virtue and a beautiful trait that cannot be practiced by all. It is one such character which is easier to preach than to practice. It requires a great magnanimity to forgive whether that person is a friend or an enemy and like Mahatma Gandhi said, “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong“

I agree that Amir had committed a crime and such an act tarnished the image of his nation and defamed the gentleman’s game, but one must not forget how naive and immature Amir was during that time. He was just a kid who came from a poor family and got excited by sudden fame and cash. He shook hands with the wrong people and thus, lost his way. For a kid like Amir, who hails from a poor family, such mistakes are not surprising and for which rather than leaving such kids in the cold, we must help them to rectify themselves.

Mohammad Amir deserves a second chance and it’s the duty of his teammates, cricket board and fans to welcome him and help him to flourish further.

As an optimistic person, I don’t think that his presence will diminish the desire to win or hamper the environment of the dressing room. But, the presence of a mercurial talent like Amir will act as a motivating factor. Not only Pakistan cricket, but world cricket also needs a talent like Amir. Talents like Mohammad Amir are born once in a few years and it’s hard to ignore such a prodigy.

Mohammad Amir has learnt from his mistakes

Mohammad Amir is ready to make a comeback

Years of struggle and trying circumstances have changed Amir a lot. He has tried his best to correct himself. Two years back in an interview Amir said, “I am cautious about trusting people. Just because a person appears to be nice doesn’t mean he is a good friend. He is obviously not if he pulls you down when he sinks himself”.

He continued, “There are situations in everyone’s life when one has to decide quickly about what to do. Choose the right way and forget about what will happen next because eventually it won’t be as bad as if you chose the wrong way”.

Shouldn’t Amir be given another opportunity? If Italy’s Paolo Rossi and West Indian Marlon Samuels can be forgiven, then why not Amir?

You have to forgive Mohammad Amir and if you can’t forgive him then the words of George Herber echo in my ears, “He that cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass if he would ever reach heaven; for everyone has need to be forgiven”.