Banned Pakistan Pacer Mohammad Aamir Plays First Competitive Match in 5 years

Banned Pakistan left-arm pacer Mohammad Aamir today played his first proper competitive match in five years when he appeared in the national T20 super eights tournament at Faisalabad.

Aamir, whose spot-fixing ban ends in September that will make him eligible to play for Pakistan again, picked up two wickets for 15 runs in 2.1 overs while playing for the Rawalpindi Rams against Abbotabad Falcons.

Aamir, 22, played in the Patrons Trophy Grade-2 competition for a private team in March-April but it was a non-first class tournament. Aamir suffered a hamstring injury during the final of the tournament in which he took 22 wickets in four games. The International Cricket Council has given Aamir special permission to resume playing domestic cricket before his five year ban ends later this year.

"It was a terrific feeling playing in a big tournament after so many years," Aamir told reporters. The Super eights tournament is televised live and the winner wins the right to represent Pakistan in the Champions League tournament.

"The conditions were good for bowling but since I was coming back after a hamstring I didn't go all out," Aamir said. He said his teammates which included Pakistan players Sohail Tanvir and Hammad Azam had been supportive.

The youngster was banned for five years in early 2011 by the anti-corruption tribunal of the ICC for indulging in spot-fixing during the fourth Test on Pakistan's tour of England in 2010.