Amir contracted in top category 19 months after ban lifted

Pakistan's star fast bowler Mohammad Amir was promoted into the country's top category Wednesday following his brilliant Champions Trophy performance, just 19 months since returning to international cricket after a five-year spot-fixing ban. The Pakistan Cricket Board shuffled several players while issuing new lists of contracts for national duty, given on the basis of performances in international and domestic matches.

Amir rises to A category as PCB awards central contracts Read here: https://t.co/lrb7D4oeK1#TheNews #PCB #Amir pic.twitter.com/0RNJycoy6E

— The News (@thenews_intl) July 13, 2017

Amir, who was earlier listed in the "B" category after his return to the game, was elevated to "A" class in the reshuffle, joining the ranks of captain Sarfraz Ahmed, Azhar Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik and Yasir Shah.

The PCB announces the award of its Players Central Contracts for the year 2017-18 to 35 players in four categories. https://t.co/WsxwehkQUv— PCB Official (@TheRealPCB) July 12, 2017

The 25-year-old, along with then captain Salman Butt and pace partner Mohammad Asif, was banned in 2010 for arranging deliberate no-balls in return for money during the Lord's Test in England. All three players were also jailed by a UK court in 2011. Since his return in January last year, Amir has taken 43 wickets in 14 Tests, 30 in 21 one-day internationals and 11 in 13 Twenty20s. He took three crucial wickets in Pakistan's improbable Champions Trophy victory over arch-rival India in London last month.