Mohammad Amir to be struck from ICC Awards list

Mohammad Amir, the 18-year-old fast bowler who is one of three Pakistan players currently under investigation for spot-fixing, will be removed from the list of nominees for the ICC's emerging player of the year award, ESPNcricinfo has learnt. Mohammad Asif has also been cut from the Test cricketer of the year category.

The ICC statement issued late Thursday evening, which provisionally suspended the three players, also stated that "in accordance with the provisions of the code, this means they are immediately barred from participating in all cricket and related activities until the case has been concluded". An ICC official said Amir's removal from the list could be confirmed by "reading between the lines". Amir was one of 16 players nominated, and a favourite to win the emerging player category.

The decision, however, was criticised by Pakistan's High Commissioner to the United Kingdon, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, who asked what had happened to the general principle of law - innocent until proven guilty? "After the shocking, arbitrary and high-handed suspension of the three Pakistani cricketers through the ICC's uncalled for action, nothing is coming to me as a surprise," Hasan said. "Rather, my apprehensions that there is a rat in the whole affair are being strengthened. It is emerging as a fishy situation where pieces have now started falling in place to convince me that there is more than meet the eye."

The nominations for the 2010 awards recognise cricketing achievement for the period between August 24, 2009 and August 10, 2010. During that span, Amir took 33 wickets at an average of 31.45 in nine Tests and 16 wickets in 10 ODIs. He became the youngest player to reach 50 Test wickets during the Lord's Test, which is at the heart of the Scotland Yard and ICC's ongoing investigations. The Test took place just after the nomination period ended.