Mohammad Amir: Gloucestershire sign ex-Pakistan bowler on three-match deal

Mohammad Amir made 147 appearances for Pakistan across Test, ODI and T20 formats

Gloucestershire have signed former Pakistan international bowler Mohammad Amir on a three-match deal.

The 30-year-old will be available for their County Championship matches against Surrey, Hampshire and Somerset.

The left-arm pace bowler has taken 119 wickets in 36 Test matches for his country.

Amir played as an overseas player for Essex in 2017, winning the County Championship, going on to represent them again in 2019.

He had said he would not play red-ball cricket again, but is due to make his Gloucestershire debut against Surrey in Bristol on Thursday.

"You need quality in the first division to compete," said Gloucestershire coach Dale Benkenstein. "We haven't seen Mohammad Amir play for a while and there is no guarantee, but I was coaching in South Africa when he was playing for Pakistan a few years ago and he was their best bowler out of a really good attack."

"The County Championship is an amazing competition," said Amir. "I can't wait to get going. I love playing in English conditions and I'm feeling really good, so I hope I can perform well for the team."

Amir claimed six wickets on his Test debut against Sri Lanka in 2009, aged 17, and became the youngest bowler in history to take 50 wickets at the age of 18.

He made 147 appearances for his country across Test, ODI and T20 formats.

He played for London Spirit in the inaugural Hundred tournament in England last summer.