Pakistan's left-arm pace bowler Mohammad Aamer made an impressive return to competitive cricket today after serving a five-year ban for spot-fixing, coming agonisingly close to claiming a hat trick.
Aamer bowled with fire to return figures of 3/23 as his team Omar Associates bowled out Capital Development Authority for 268 runs on the first day of a three-day match of the Pakistan Cricket Board's Patrons Trophy in Rawalpindi.
Aamer, 22, was left frustrated when his first round match of the tournament was washed out due to heavy rains at the Army cricket ground last week.
"It is great to finally get back on the cricket field and play a competitive match. Taking the wickets is a boost but I know lot of hard work remains to be done," Aamer told reporters.
His coach at Omar Associates, Nasir Shah was surprised to see Aamer perform so well despite playing in a competitive match after such a long gap.
"It is a credit to him that he bowled with some rhythm despite playing a proper match after such a long time.
"He showed today he is a natural and the sooner he can be considered for national team selection the better."
Aamer was banned from all cricket after pleading guilty in 2010 to charges of bowling deliberate no-balls at pre-arranged times, while playing for Pakistan in a Test against England at Lord's.
The ICC shortened his five-year ban in January, for his cooperation with its anti-corruption and security unit. The permission came after the PCB approached the ICC under the revised anti-corruption laws.
The ICC had banned Aamer, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif in February 2011.
Aamer said that he had been working hard to remain fit and it was God's will that he made a return to cricket.
"I just want to do well on the cricket field and show I am still good enough to play for Pakistan again. I have said before it is a long path to redemption and reform for me as I want to help educate others about the uselessness of indulging in corruption.
