Mohammad Amir reveals why he backed out of England tour

Mohammad Amir, who withdrew from Pakistan’s upcoming England tour, has revealed that he backed out from the tour because his wife is expecting.

The bowler, in a Twitter update, shared that due to the timing of the tour and the restrictions in place in the United Kingdom for those coming from abroad, left him with no choice but to back out of the tour. He said that he cannot leave his wife, “who is at a high-risk pregnancy alone here [in Pakistan]”. Amir and his wife Narjis are expecting their second child together.

Thank u exactly my point, I was willing to travel to UK after my child's birth but because of the quarantine period its not possible.also the entire team for both series have to travel together end of this month so I cannot leave my wife who is at a high risk pregnancy alone here https://t.co/tM3jAD2Nx1

— Mohammad Amir (@iamamirofficial) June 11, 2020

Read more – Mohammad Amir spots ‘Virat Kohli’ in Ertuğrul

Journalists Zainab Abbas and Saj Sadiq supported Amir’s decision and said that his decision to withdraw makes sense.

Every decision does not need to be looked at as if it’s a conspiracy. I’m sure,if there was a solution it would have been looked at,but now due to COVID and quarantine rules it only makes sense to withdraw earlier on.

— zainab abbas (@ZAbbasOfficial) June 11, 2020

Mohammad Amir's decision not to tour England is understandable – his wife is expecting so she can't travel to UK, if he goes to UK after the birth & he has a 2 week quarantine period then the series will be over. Also the whole squad has to leave/travel together #Cricket #ENGvPAK

— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) June 11, 2020

Other than Amir, Haris Sohail has also opted out of series citing family reasons.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had earlier announced that the team will travel to the UK to play a bilateral series in August and September.

Pakistan will bring a 28-man squad plus 14 player support personnel for three tests and three Twenty20 Internationals.

The PCB has yet to announce the squad, while the series schedule will be announced in due course.

Plans to hold a bio-secure national training camp in Lahore ahead of the England trip have been scrapped after taking into account the rapid growth of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan.

England is scheduled to host the first international series since the novel coronavirus pandemic, when they face West Indies in a three-test series without fans in attendance starting on July 8 at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.