Shoaib Akhtar makes surprising comment on Mohammad Amir's retirement

LAHORE: Former fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar has made a surprising statement hours after Mohammad Amir announced his retirement over what he claims was "mental torture".

The left-arm pacer had claimed earlier during the day that the environment created by the Pakistan cricket team's management, as well as "mental torture," was the reason behind his decision to exit the international cricket.

Read more: What did Wasim Akram say about Amir's retirement decision?

"I am not going away from cricket but I am being pushed away from it,” Mohammad Amir said, adding that he was being “sidelined”.

However, Shoaib Akhtar reacted strongly to the pacer's announcement to retire, saying he did not wish for the player to be wasted. He asked for the 28-year-old to be handed over to him so that the Rawalpindi Express can ensure he surprises everyone in the field again.

"Give @iamamirofficial under me and then see the wonders he does on the ground," the cricket commentator and former fast-bowler said.

"Na zaaya kerain us ko [Do not waste him]," he added.

Earlier in the day, while making the announcement, Mohammad Amir had said he got a wake-up call once he was omitted from the 35-member squad for the Pakistan cricket team's tour to New Zealand.

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“I feel that I am leaving cricket at this time because I am being mentally tortured,” said the pacer. "I cannot survive this much torture” because he has already seen it from 2010 to 2015 when he was placed under a ban over a spot-fixing scandal, he added.

Refuting claims that the “PCB invested a lot” in him, Amir said only two people — Shahid Afridi and former PCB chairperson Najam Sethi — had supported and worked on him and he was grateful to both of them.

Also read: Pakistani pacer Mohammad Amir to leave cricket due to 'mental torture'

“I will always be thankful to these two people as they supported me in my tough time,” the 28-year-old said.