Amir available for selection ahead of Pakistan’s World Cup opener

Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has confirmed that left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir will be available for selection, ahead of Men in Green’s opening 2019 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup match against West Indies.

While talking to media in a press conference on Thursday, Sarfaraz cleared the air regarding Amir’s availability.   

“Mohammad Amir is fit and available for selection on Friday,” said Sarfaraz.

The match, which is scheduled to be played at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, is likely to be a high-scoring encounter.

“Asked the curator about the total on the pitch and he said that he has prepared a 480 pitch,” the Pakistan captain said while talking about the nature of the pitch.  

Pakistan have lost their past ten one-day internationals including a 5-0 whitewash by Australia and 4-0 thumping by England, and their problems were further compounded when they went down to outsiders Afghanistan by three wickets in a warm-up match.

But skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed hopes his side will draw inspiration from when they were in a similar position in 2017.

"We will seek inspiration from our Champions Trophy win because then also we were losing and then lifted ourselves at the right time to win the trophy," Sarfaraz told AFP ahead of the game in Nottingham.

Pakistan had lost 4-1 in Australia before the tournament and arch-rivals India whipped them by 124 runs in the opening game of the Trophy.

But Pakistan then beat South Africa, Sri Lanka and England on their way to the final, where they thumped India by 180 runs.

"The boys are motivated and are eager to put these losses behind them and by playing in England for a month we are well prepared and you will hopefully see us doing well," said Sarfaraz, one of Pakistan's only two survivors from the 2015 World Cup, with left-handed batsman Haris Sohail the other.