Aamer confident of playing in World Cup

KARACHI - Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Aamer is hopeful that he will feature in the World Cup even though he is under suspension because of a spot-fixing scandal.

“I can’t even imagine not being part of the Pakistan team for the World Cup 2011. Since stepping into international cricket, playing the World Cup has been my ambition,” the Pakistani youngster said in an interview Saturday.

“Not being part of the World Cup team would be too disappointing.

“It is an historic event for a youngster like me. I am very confident that by the time the World Cup would start, I would be in the team.”

Apart from Aamer, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt are the other two Pakistani cricketers currently under suspension.

The 19-year-old, however, hopes that an early hearing on the part of the ICC panel would help settle the issue.

“We know there is no truth in the allegations of spot-fixing and hope that once the full-fledged hearing starts, we would be able to clear our names. Since allegations of spot-fixing are a mere assumption, we are confident about getting our names cleared.”

The fast bowler said Mazhar Majeed and Azhar Majeed, whose names have cropped up in the match fixing scandal, were just working as agents of players like in the past.

“They get sponsorship deals for us. No player knew what they were up to and what was in their mind. If they had done anything wrong or have other motives, it is their crime not ours.”

The youngster backed the Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision to issue NOC to agents before allowing them to work with the players. “I think conducting agents scrutiny would be the right approach as by that way we would be in a position to know with whom to work. Players cannot look for sponsorships on their own. They need agents to do that job. Once the board shortlists the agents, it would be easier for them to pick from an available list.”

Aamer said he was missing international cricket a lot. I am passing through a learning period. I want to get back to international cricket at the earliest so that I could hone my skills.”

The left-arm pacer defended their criticising the ICC after failing to get the suspension revoked. People ask us about our criticism of the ICC to which I say that we had a case and our suspension should have been lifted.”