Is Shaheen-Amir pair going to spearhead Pakistan pace attack again?

Pakistan T20I captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has recently confirmed in an online interaction with fans on X to ask former left-arm fast Mohammad Amir regarding his return to the national team for the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2024.

Shaheen, in a recent X Spaces session with fans, responded to the queries regarding the possibility of seeing the dangerous pair spearheading the national pace attack once again.

Some fans questioned the T20 skipper if he would entertain the possibility of bowling alongside Amir in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. To this, Shaheen confirmed that he will ask Amir if he’s open to making a comeback to the team.

“I will talk to Mohammad Amir if he's available to come back for Pakistan once again. Amir and I bowled together after almost 5 years. It was a very good experience to bowl with him, our partnership was great," Afridi stated in the online chitchat with his fans.

In 2020, Amir retired from international cricket by accusing the head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis of favouritism and injustice.

Just before the commencement of the ICC World Cup 2023 when Pakistani pacer Naseem Shah got injured, fans all over social media asked Amir to take his retirement back but the left-armer refused and said he had “moved on” from international cricket.

“At the moment, I have moved on. I have different things in my life to do," Amir said in a presser earlier. “Three years is a long period out of the international system. If you look at the Pakistan system right now, it is changing every single month, so you never know what is coming.

“For me, this debate is closed. After three years out, I don’t think it would be a sensible decision for me to come back. For now, at least. I don’t know what will happen in the next few years,” he concluded.

Although he has consistently refused to make a return to the Pakistan cricket team, considering his great relationship with Shaheen Afridi and the next tournament being the T20 World Cup, Amir’s return cannot be ruled out.

Amir had represented Pakistan in 36 Tests, 61 ODIs, and 50 T20Is. He last played an international match in 2020. The pacer was also part of the Pakistan team when they won the ICC T20 World Cup 2009 and ICC Champions Trophy 2017.

His Champions Trophy 2017 final spell earned Pakistan their maiden title in an eight-team tournament.