Australian fans remember Zaheer Abbas as an elegant, bespectacled top-order batsman in a floppy hat. He is to date, the only Asian batsmen to score one hundred first-class centuries, and is currently president of the ICC.
In an exclusive interview with Inside Cricket. Zaheer says he has no problem with Pakistani fast bowler Mohammed Amir returning to cricket after his five-year ban for spot fixing. “If they think if he is good enough and can do well then yes. He has had his punishment and is allowed to play. He’s still young, so why not?” Amir's inclusion has divided the cricket world, with many ex-players believing no mercy should be shown to anyone who brings the game into disrepute.
Indeed, Amir was young when the crime was committed, against England in 2010, and there’s evidence to suggest he was coerced by teammates Salman Butt and Mohammed Asif. Controversially, Abbas sees nothing wrong with the latter two returning to Test cricket, either. “If the selectors think they will do well, then yes, pick them. They have learnt their lesson, not to do it again”.
Inside Cricket magazine is out now.
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