According to Amir, his two favourite batters are former Indian captain Virat Kohli and current Pakistan captain Babar Azam. Despite being opponents on the field, Amir has often praised Kohli, and their mutual respect demonstrates the sportsmanship in cricket that transcends national boundaries.
Surprisingly, Amir named young Indian player Shubman Gill as his third favourite batter. India captain Rohit Sharma didn’t make the list though, and neither did the likes of Joe Root, Steve Smith or other present stalwarts.
“Virat [Kohli], Babar is my favourite apart from T20s. He is my favourite in Tests and ODIs. Finally, Shubman Gill, as I feel he will be the next big thing for India in future, if he maintains his current form,” Amir said on his YouTube channel.
When it comes to his favourite bowlers, Amir ranked New Zealand’s Trent Boult as his top favourite, followed by 20-year-old Pakistani pacer Naseem Shah in second place, and Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc in third position.
“[Trent] Boult, he is number one for me, then Naseem Shah. These are bowlers, who I feel are complete bowlers and can play all formats. And third would be Mitchell Starc,” he added.
The 31-year-old also expressed his belief that the Pakistan team, led by Babar, has the potential to reach the semi-final stage of the upcoming ODI World Cup in India, scheduled to take place in October-November 2023. He issued a warning to other teams, advising them not to underestimate the Pakistani side in the tournament.
“Pakistan will be in top four and you can’t write them off in Asian conditions,” Amir concluded.
Notably, Amir has had a career marked by controversies, playing 36 Tests, 61 ODIs and 50 T20Is for Pakistan. He retired from international cricket in 2020,citing mental torture from the team management. The former speedster played a crucial role in Pakistan’s victory in the 2017 Champions Trophy final against arch-rivals India, taking the important wickets of Rohit and Kohli with a superb spell of 3/16.
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