LAHORE, Pakistan: The 23-year-old Muhammad Amir will travel to New Zealand for a bilateral limited over series as the fast bowler has been granted a visa by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) on Thursday.
Muhammad Amir is part of the Pakistani Squad announced earlier this month by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for three T20s and three One Day Internationals (ODIs) against New Zealand, scheduled to be played from January 15 to 31.
The fast bowler was also called in the training camp, continuing at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.
However, his travel to New Zealand with the team was subject to grant of visa by the Host government.
But on Thursday, Immigration INZ granted a visa to Muhammad Amir after which he will travel to New Zealand with the team on January 9.
“Immigration New Zealand can confirm that a visitor visa has been approved for Muhammad Amir to travel as part of the Pakistan Cricket Team set to tour New Zealand this month,” INZ area manager Michael Carley told stuff.co.nz.
“In making this decision, INZ considered factors including the support of the New Zealand and Pakistan Cricket Board and that Mr Amir had served his sentence for his previous actions.”
The PCB has also confirmed that the fast bowler has been issued a visa for New Zealand tour.
The left-arm fast bowler Muhammad Amir served a five years ban and jail sentence for spot-fixing against England during the Lords Test in 2010.
His inclusion in the squad also triggered a controversy when the senior player Muhammad Hafeez and ODI Captain Azhar Ali refused to join the training camp, arguing that they were not ready to play with Muhammad Amir. However, with the intervention of PCB Chairman Shehryar Khan, both the players agreed to play with the fast bowler though they still claim to have reservations about playing with Amir.
