PCB asks Amir to be tolerant on England’s tour

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has cautioned pacer Muhammad Amir to be patient and tolerant in the wake of expected taunts from crowds or bystanders during the tour of England.

The Pakistan Cricket team will leave for England this weekend for a training camp as to get familiar with the English conditions before their first warm-up game against Somerset at Taunton on July 3.

A PCB official told APP that Amir should expect a hostile reception from home supporters and barracking over his involvement in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal. Senior PCB officials in a meeting with Amir in Lahore this week told him to remain cool over any reaction from the crowds, he said.

Amir, who has not played Test cricket since his involvement and ban in match fixing during Lord’s Test, would return to Test arena on July 14 on the same ground.

“He is unlikely to receive any verbal abuse from the respectful Lord’s crowd but the second and third Tests at Edgbaston and Old Trafford will be more raucous and Amir is preparing himself to handle any untoward situation,” he said.

The official said that in the meeting Amir was asked to follow each and every instruction in England given to him by the team management, anti-corruption unit and security manager. “Amir is also told to avoid media unless permitted by the manager,” he said.

The official said that Chief Selector Inzamamul Haq was also likely to tour England in the series to monitor players’ performances closely.