Premature to think about playing for Pakistan : Mohammad Amir

Lahore, September 22 -  Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has said returning to international cricket is not his primary objective and he is concentrating on playing domestic cricket in the country.

Amir made a return to competitive cricket earlier this year after serving out a ban for his role in spot-fixing during Pakistan's tour to England in 2010.

"My focus is on domestic cricket at the moment and it would be premature for me to start thinking about when or if I will play for Pakistan again. I'm not worrying over when I will play for Pakistan, instead I am just focussing on my domestic form and then leaving the rest to the selectors,” Amir was quoted as saying by a website on Monday.

"I have to take things step by step and not try to get ahead of myself. International cricket is a tough environment it's not a joke. There is a lot of pressure on you in international cricket and I feel that I have to ensure that I am fully ready before I'm talked about for an international recall," he said.

While the International Cricket Council's (ICC) ban officially ended on September 1, Amir was allowed to return to domestic cricket under the auspices of the Pakistan Cricket Board in January, this year.

He made a return to competitive cricket with a grade-2 match in March, before representing Rawalpindi Rams in the Super8 T20 Cup.

This season, he played five matches for Rawalpindi Region in the T20 Cup, claiming five wickets. In a recent Quaid-e-Azam qualifying match, Amir took seven wickets for Sui Southern Gas Company, including a five-wicket haul, against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL).

"I'm really satisfied with my seven wickets against ZTBL in my first four-day match after my ban," the 23-year-old said.

"It couldn't have gone any better really on a very flat track. I feel as if day by day, my bowling is improving. As you will have seen in the tournament in Rawalpindi my pace is increasing and my confidence is higher now so the signs are very good,” Amir said.

(IANS)