Amir included in Pak squad for New Zealand series

Amir, who has come out of a five-year ban, is in the national squad for the first time since Pakistan’s tour of England in 2010. Pakistan play three T20s and three ODIs in New Zealand from January 15.

Mohammad Amir is coming out of five-year ban.

Mohammad Amir is set to make his return for Pakistan after being included in their squad for the Twenty20 and one-day international matches against New Zealand following a ban.

Amir has been in the international wilderness since being suspended for five years by the International Cricket Council in 2011 after bowling what were deemed to be deliberate no-balls in a Test against England.

However, he was named in Pakistan's 26-man training squad earlier this month and - subject to being granted a visa - is in line to make his comeback after being included in the 16-man parties for both the T20 and ODI series.

In addition to his suspension,  a British Crown Court found Amir guilty of conspiracy to cheat at gambling and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments. But his performances in the Bangladesh Premier League - where he took 14 wickets in nine appearances for the Chittagong Vikings at an average of 12.64 - led to his inclusion in the training squad.

Amir's first appearance back in a Pakistan kit could come in the opening T20 match in Auckland on January 15, which is followed by games in Hamilton and Wellington. The ODI series begins in Wellington on January 25 before moving to Napier and Auckland, which hosts the final game of the tour on January 31.

Prior to his suspension, Amir had taken 51 wickets in 14 Test matches for Pakistan. He also had 25 ODI wickets in 15 matches and 23 in 18 in T20 internationals. Chief selector Haroon Rashid said: "With ICC World T20 slated for March-April 2016, the T20 team has been selected with a view to provide opportunities to everyone likely to feature in the squad for the global event. The team is a fine blend of experience and youth and the selectors believe that it would acquit itself well on the tour.

"On his international comeback, Mohammad Amir will travel with the team subject to grant of visa by the New Zealand government."

T20 squad: Shahid Afridi (captain), Iftikhar Ahmed, Sarfraz Ahmed, Umar Akmal, Anwar Ali, Mohammad Amir (Subject to grant of visa), Umar Gul, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Sohaib Maqsood, Saad Nasim, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Ahmed Shehzad, Imad Wasim, Amir Yamin.  

ODI squad: Azhar Ali (captain), Sarfraz Ahmed, Anwar Ali, Rahat Ali, Mohammad Amir (Subject to grant of visa), Babar Azam, Zafar Gohar, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Irfan, Shoaib Malik, Sohaib Maqsood, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Asad Shafiq, Ahmed Shehzad, Imad Wasim.