A regretful Mohammad Amir has blamed PCB for not educating him enough against corruption and vowed to reveal “more” about the case, in which co-accused Salman Butt and Mohammaed Asif “tried to damage his reputation” further.
Amir was sent to young offenders’ detention centre for six months while Butt and Asif were sent to jail for 30 months and 12 months respectively after being found guilty of spot-fixing during last year’s Lord’s Test against England.
The young bowler held the Pakistan cricket authorities for not doing enough to create awareness among players about the pitfalls of getting into corruption.
“The PCB never told me just how serious a offence it was to get into these sort of things. They didn’t educate me enough about anti-corruption laws,” he added.
He also expressed disappointment at the way Butt and Asif slandered him during the trial in a London court.
“They tried to rubbish my reputation and name during the trial and when the time comes I will reveal everything about this case,” said Amir, who picked up 51 wickets in his short career of 14 Tests.
Amir apologised for his role in the scandal.
“I really regret what I have done. I am really sorry for what has happened. I can only now apologize to my countrymen and all cricket lovers for my actions,” Amir.
The 19-year-old left-arm pacer, who was compared to Wasim Akram and other greats at his tender age, said the realisation of what he had done and how he had harmed his countrymen and the sport came very late.
“If I had known this would all end this way I would have stayed clear from such things. I got misled and was misguided and today I have paid the price for it,” Amir told Geo News, shortly after the judge announced his sentence.
“I got carried away and it was the biggest mistake of my life.”
