PCB chairman wants Aamer back after serving ban

DUBAI: Cricket chief Zaka Ashraf Friday backed the return of spot-fixing convict Mohammad Aamer after he serves his five-year ban, saying he was a talented fast bowler who had been "trapped".

"I want to see Aamer back but only after considering the legality of the case and only after he serves the ban," Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Zaka Ashraf told reporters here.

Aamer, 19, was released from a British prison on Wednesday after serving half of his six-month sentence for his part in the scandal during the Lord's Test between Pakistan and England in August 2010.

His teammates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif are still in jail serving 30-month and 12-month sentences respectively handed down by a British court in November last year.

All three were found guilty of corruption and receiving illegal money.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) also banned the trio for violating the players' code of conduct, with Aamer receiving the minimum five-year punishment.

Ashraf, who took over in October last year, said the PCB will rehabilitate the youngster.

"Definitely we will rehabilitate Aamer through an education programme, he is a young Pakistani, he committed a mistake and it was a case of huge talent lost and once he serves the ban then he could come into the team," said Ashraf.

Ashraf claimed Aamer and the other two players had been "trapped".

"Whatever has happend we are sad about that, not only me but also most of the Pakistani people are sad for this young boy who, with the other players, were trapped by the Majeed brothers," said Ashraf of players's agent Mazhar Majeed and his brother Azhar.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan paceman and coach Waqar Younis has called for a reduction of the five-year cricket ban meted out to Aamer.

Waqar, coach of the team at the time of the scandal, said ways to cut Aamer's ban should be considered given his age, talent and admission of guilt.

"I am not saying that he is an angel," Waqar told reporters. "But if the ban reduction can be considered then they should do that, every law gives margin after someone completes his punishment."

Family members said Aamer will appeal the ICC ban in the Switzerland-based Court for Arbitration for Sports but experts believe he is unlikely to be successful after pleading guilty before the UK court.

Waqar said Aamer should undergo rehabilitation.

"We must have sympathy with him because he is so young. His talent is missed by not only by me but also by the Pakistan team," he said.

"I don't know whether he would be able to play or not, whether the people of Pakistan will accept him or not... we accept that the incident happened and Pakistan's name was tainted but I think other players will also learn from this," said Waqar.

The former fast-bowler advised the talented youngster to maintain his "hunger" for the game while he awaits a verdict on his ban.

"Imran Khan said that he was better than Wasim Akram when he was 19," said Waqar, referring to his former new-ball partner Wasim. "There was something special in him. He was very hungry for wickets and lethal."

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2012