Mike Atherton, the former England captain, wants Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir to undergo rehabilitation instead of getting punished if charges of playing a role in a ‘spot-fixing’ scandal are proven against the young fast bowler.
“Admittedly, if these allegations are proven accurate, to reprieve Amir at the expense of anyone else involved would be arbitrary and, in a sense, unfair. It would give succour to those who argue — rightly — that the events of the past few days are a direct consequence of a failure to act on the excesses of the past. Yet that would be to ignore the obvious: that Amir is a potent symbol right now, of what was, what is and what might be,” wrote Atherton in his column in The Times on Tuesday.
“He should not be punished as an example to the rest, as everyone seems to suggest, rather he should be made aware of the issues, educated, rehabilitate and held up as an example of what can be achieved.
“Amir’s rehabilitation should be at the heart of the cleansing of Pakistan cricket. The brilliant young bowler is not the cause of the problem but the most tragic consequence of it,” stressed Atherton, now working as Times’ chief cricket correspondent.
Amir, 18, hogged the limelight during the best part of the four-Test series against England with his deadly swing bowling that he deliver with a big, youthful smile.
But the lanky pacer is now facing the prospects of a life ban after being accused of bowling a deliberate no-ball during the Lord’s Test last week. His new-ball partner Mohammad Asif is also accused of a similar crime while Test captain Salman Butt and his deputy Kamran Akmal are also under investigation for having links with match-fixers.
Most critics believe that if found guilty, all the players, including the young Amir, should be given exemplary punishment. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has also promised prompt and decisive action against anybody found guilty of wrongdoing.
But Atherton argues that Amir might be a victim rather than one of the villains of the story.
“Now think of Salman Butt and the nature of authority in Pakistan itself. When a slip catch disappeared through the cordon at the Brit Insurance Oval, Butt walked towards them and gave them a very public dressing-down. An England captain might have got a flea in his ear had he done the same; in Pakistan you don’t flout authority. Could an 18-year-old resist the wishes of his elders, his superiors,” he questioned.
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