"I cannot play for Pakistan with the current mindset of the team management" – Mohammad Amir

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket, has said that he cannot play for the national side because of the "current mindset" of the coaching staff.

Amir had claimed that the Pakistan support staff, including head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqir Younis, had "mentally tortured" him. Misbah-ul-Haq made a statement after the pacer's announcement, saying he was dropped solely because of his performances. Amir, however, refutes that assertion.

Talking to media officials in Lahore, the fast bowler claimed that Misbah and Younis have not been telling the truth.

“I was not dropped from the side because of my performance," he said. "What they [Misbah and Waqar] say on media is different from the actual facts."

The 28-year old further spoke about the approach of Pakistan's coaching staff, raising questions about their qualifications for the job.

“Waqar Younis is a legend and Misbah-ul-Haq was a great captain. But coaching is an entirely different thing. You have to learn and get the necessary education regarding coaching before joining this field. I’m not saying that PCB should remove them from their respective roles but I can’t play for the national side with the current mindset of the coaching staff.”

Earlier this week, Misbah said in a press conference that Amir blew the situation out of proportion unnecessarily. The Pakistan head coach also accused the fast bowler of not being honest about the circumstances behind his retirement.

"Nobody was supporting his selection on the basis of performance. I have no idea why he made up everything and tried to give this whole scenario a context that is out of proportion. For him, it was a simple method: go back and prove his form and get back in the team and everything else is irrelevant."

During his press conference, Amir also hinted that he will make himself available for selection once the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) bring in new coaching staff to replace the current team management.