Amir - serving a five-year ban.

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Imran supports Amir recall

Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan believes that convicted spot-fixer Mohammad Amir should be recalled to the Pakistan side as soon as his ban has been served.

Amir was recently released from a juvenile detention centre after he pleaded guilty to spot-fixing charges, but still has most of his five-year ban from cricket to serve.

He has appealed to the ICC against the length of the sentence and indicated a desire to resume his cricket as soon as possible.

Having shown remorse for his actions - something which Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif failed to do - Amir deserves to be welcomed back by Pakistan, according to Khan.

“I would have him back,” Khan said during an interview on the BBC’s TMS show. “He didn’t lie. He was straightforward. He said, ‘Look, I did this, it was a mistake, and I ask for forgiveness’.

“And for a 19-year-old, yes, I would forgive him.

“My heart has always gone out to Amir because he was one of the best young talents I’ve seen. But at least he pleaded guilty straight away and said ‘I’ve made a mistake’.