Salman Iqbal: “When we picked Amir in the first season, we were criticised. People were very angry with us. Many players, who played from Karachi Kings, said we will not play for this franchise. We will not enter the draft because we don’t want to go to Karachi Kings”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Karachi Kings owner Salman Iqbal has revealed that many players didn’t want to play for the team when it first signed Pakistan left-arm seamer Mohammad Amir.
This was because Amir had served a five-year ban for his involvement in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal that shocked the cricketing world.
However, Amir has continued to represent the Kings and in this year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL), he finished as the joint fourth-highest wicket-taker with 10 wickets in nine matches at an average of 26.20.
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“Many players were very angry [with Amir’s return]. I have always been fond of stirring the pot. Without controversy, life has no flavour,” Iqbal said in a YouTube video as quoted by Cricket Pakistan. “When we picked Amir in the first season, we were criticised. People were very angry with us.
“Many players, who played from Karachi Kings, said we will not play for this franchise. We will not enter the draft because we don’t want to go to Karachi Kings. We handled that pressure as well.”
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