PAK vs IRE: Mohammad Amir’s participation in Ireland T20Is in serious threat as tainted pacer faces visa issues

Pakistan left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir could not join the rest of his teammates on their flight to Ireland for a 3-match T20I series later this month. 

Mohammad Amir is a part of the 17-man squad announced for the series in Ireland, which is followed by a 4-match T20I series in England. Pakistan are coming at the back of a 2-2 draw in a 5-match home T20I series against New Zealand last month. The Green Amry still have 7 games left to prepare for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. 

Mohammad Amir faces visa issues 

While the Pakistani team flew to Ireland for the series yesterday (Tuesday), Mohammad Amir could not take the flight due to visa issues. Amir is facing trouble in getting his visa done by the Irish Governmental authorities and this issue is apparently agitating the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as per Cricket Pakistan.

With just 2 days remaining for the 1st of a 3-match T20I series, Mohammad Amir’s denial of getting a visa will definitely prove to be problematic. It will also be an obstacle for Pakistan in their preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies. The World Cup is the main purpose why Amir has been brought into the team alongside all-rounder Imad Wasim. 

The delay in getting a visa is happening even after the fact that Mohammad Amir is a United Kingdom citizenship holder which he acquired in 2018. Sources close to the PCB have informed that the left-arm seamer and the board are waiting for the Irish cricket board to facilitate Amir’s visa. 

The PCB has stressed that it is the Irish board’s duty to get Visa done for the traveling team and on Wednesday morning, there was optimism that the issue will be resolved. 

After the series in Ireland, Mohammad Amir also has to feature in the 4-match T20I series across borders in England from late May onwards. But with such visa complications, it will be interesting to see in which condition Amir lands in Ireland. If the issue is resolved today, then he might get some practice time for the series but if not, then he is certain to miss 1st match on 10th May. 

The following two T20Is will take place on May 12th and May 14th at the Clontarf Cricket Club Ground. 

The Pakistani team is then expected to fly out to England by the 16th-17th of May to get some training sessions done before the England series. Pakistan will play the 1st T20I on 22nd May (Wed), the 2nd T20I on 25th May, and the 3rd T20I on 28th May, and the series will conclude on 30th May. 

For the 2009 T20 World Cup winners to excel in the next 2 months, the inclusion of Mohammad Amir will be very important. It remains to be seen when Amir gets his Visa done. 

Pakistani squad for the series against Ireland

Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Khan