Mohammad Amir's return to international cricket in January 2016, following his five-year ban for spot-fixing at Lord's in 2010, became one of cricket's most debated topics. At the time of his offense, Amir was just 18 and considered one of the most talented fast bowlers in world cricket. His ban and six-month prison sentence ended a career that had produced 51 Test wickets in just 14 matches.
The debate over his return was fierce. Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan strongly supported Amir's rehabilitation, arguing that he had served his time and deserved a second chance. Captain Misbah-ul-Haq and coach Waqar Younis also backed his return. However, several senior Pakistani players, reportedly including Fawad Alam and Ahmed Shehzad, were uncomfortable playing alongside a convicted fixer.
The ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit had reservations about allowing Amir to return, and his reintegration required him to undertake extensive anti-corruption education. International reaction was mixed - while some applauded the principle of rehabilitation, others, particularly in England where the fixing had occurred, questioned whether a criminal conviction for corruption should be treated the same as, say, a doping ban.
Amir went on to play a key role in Pakistan's memorable Champions Trophy victory in 2017, taking three wickets in the final against India. He eventually retired from Test cricket in 2019, citing the physical demands, and later had a brief international career before stepping away from Pakistan cricket amid controversies with the PCB.