Pakistan tour of England 2016: PCB praying for best after applying for Amir's British visa

Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday submitted a British visa application for tainted Mohammad Amir, a spot-fixing convict, with a hope that it will be considered which will allow the left-arm pacer to tour England in July. Amir was sentenced to six months in an English young offender centre in 2011 after pleading guilty to corruption charges for his role in spot-fixing during the 2010 Lord’s Test. [caption id=“attachment_2645668” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File picture of Mohammad Amir. Getty[/caption] Amir, his then captain Salman Butt and fellow pacer Mohammad Asif, were banned for five years by the ICC but Amir was allowed to return to domestic cricket six months early after he confessed to his offence. “Amir’s visa application was submitted today at (the) UK High Commission in Islamabad. He completed the process of the application,” read a statement from PCB. Having made a successful return to the side, Pakistan are eyeing to unleash Amir as a weapon during the England tour where they play four Tests, five ODIs and a Twenty20 International. The facts which might work in Amir’s favour is a New Zealand visa which he was granted in January, and the lenient treatment he received from the ICC. Pakistan are scheduled to play four Tests, five One-Day Internationals (ODI) and a one-off Twenty20 International (T20I) in their tour of England, with the first Test set to be played at Lord’s between 14 and 18 July.