Cricket World Cup 2019: Pakistan legend Wasim Akram backs Mohammad Amir to play himself into final squad

PAKISTAN legend Wasim Akram has called for Mohammad Amir to be included in the final World Cup squad.

Amir, 27, has been included for the five-match ODI series against England but isn’t part of the preliminary 15-man party chosen for this summer’s tournament.

But despite Amir’s recent troubles – taking just FIVE one-day international wickets since the 2017 Champions Trophy – former quick Akram believes the selectors have missed a trick.

And with the series against England now less than a week away, the Pakistan legend believes that Amir can play himself into the squad by showing his best on the changeable pitches on these shores.

Akram told AFP: “We can’t discount Amir from the World Cup.

“Amir would have been my first choice for the World Cup considering English conditions where he performs well.

“I am confident that he will do well once his rhythm is back. He is a good learner so I hope things will come good for him sooner than later because Pakistan need him.”

We can’t discount Amir from the World Cup.

Wasim Akram

Amir has struggled to establish himself back in the Pakistan side since his return from a spot-fixing ban in 2015.

His bowling average in ODIs remains at a healthy 29.75, but over the past 18 months that has been up at the dizzy heights of 90.60.

Yet his tendency to perform in English conditions could prove invaluable to Pakistan’s challenge – especially as they look likely to rely on the youthful pace of Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Hasnain.

But Wasim – who took 916 international wickets for Pakistan – believes that the squad should include Amir to provide a delicate balance between youth and experience.

He continued: “I am all for youth but experience has no substitute, so we should mix youth with experience.”

Amir has hit the ground running in his efforts to be included in the final squad, including taking the wicket of Richard Levi with the first ball of Pakistan’s tour match with Northants.

Sarafaz Ahmed’s side face England in a five-game series before the World Cup gets going on May 30.

The first meeting between the sides will be at The Oval on May 8.

Pakistan World Cup squad: Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt, wk), Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Shoaib Malik.