'Tarnished' Pakistan pacer Mohammad Aamir keen to fix 'broken reputation'

Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Aamir is "fired up" to get back in the game and repair his damaged image, following the five-year ban imposed on him for spot-fixing.

The 23-year-old left-arm speedster, who along with Mohammad Asif and then-captain Salman Butt, was banned for match fixing during the Lord's Test against England in 2010, said he knows he has been given a fresh chance to make a comeback to international cricket, and was looking forward to availing this opportunity to play for Pakistan, News24.com has reported.

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The bowler, who was to play domestic cricket would look to feature in Pakistan's first-class tournament starting this September, when the ban ends, according to his manager Syed Noman Nazir. Aamir said he was aiming for a gradual return to international cricket, but only after regaining full rhythm.

Aamir had confessed during the ban period that he felt like giving up cricket several times, but Coach Bajwa helped him to stay focused on the game and his objective. At the time of his ban, Aamir was one of the best bowlers in international cricket, having taken 51 wickets in Tests, 25 in one-day internationals and 23 in Twenty20 matches.