Mohammad Aamer Once again in ICC Scrutiny over Playing Despite Ban

It appears either that the young Pakistan fast bowler is bent on breaking the rules or that he simply has no understanding of the gravity of the ban imposed upon him as yet again his name crops up with regards to playing despite serving a ban for spot fixing.

Mohammad Aamer

Even as Pakistan cricket is dealing with the issues revolving around Shahid Afridi, a brand new controversy has been thrown up yet again with the teenage in tow. The fast bowler is currently under a five year ban imposed by the ICC over the spot fixing scandal that broke out in the course of the Lord’s Test during Pakistan’s tour of England.

Aamer apparently not only featured for the Addington in Surrey Cricket League Division One at the LSE ground in New Malden against St. Luke’s but also, ending up scoring sixty runs in an opening role while also starring with the ball. However, under the current rules of the ban, Aamer cannot be playing any form of recognized cricket and this could well pose a problem for the young cricketer who along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif was deemed guilty.

Aamer’s participation has forced the England and Wales Cricket Board ( the ECB ) and the ICC to investigate into the match proceedings although it is unclear how the ICC will go about if indeed Aamer has flounted the rules again. What it even more surprising is that clubs are willing to entertain these players despite knowing the kind of punitive measures imposed upon them.

This, however is not the first time that Aamer finds himself in a spot of bother. And it would appear that alone could invite some form of reprimand for the bowler because the first instance was generally considered one of naivety. The ICC is not likely to look any softer on the issue again which is why Aamer should be sweating under the collar.

The three Pakistan cricketers have not played international cricket since the incident broke out. And now with criminal allegations leveled against them and set for hearing in October, the players have a full on battle on their hands. Given the situation and given Aamer’s young age with the possibility of a return even after the imposed five year ban, it does not make sense for him to be neglecting attention to following compliance with the rules. After all, the gravity of the crime is not small with spot fixing considered a viral form of match fixing and therefore, more prevalent because of it being more difficult to detect.

Mohammad Aamer has once again brought spotlight on Pakistan cricket, but unfortunately for the wrong reasons. How this is even happening again is beyond belief.This is something for the ICC to consider seriously because it could boil down to blatant ignorance of the rules and diluting of the measures imposed upon these players to serve as a detriment for cricketers in the future from indulging in maligning the game for ulterior motives.