ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat says he feels “sad” for embarrassed Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Amir, but asserted that the bowler who is serving a five-year ban for spot-fixing should focus on his rehabilitation instead of looking for ways to get the sanction reduced.

Amir, who returned to Pakistan after serving half of a six-month sentence, said he was manipulated by his then captain Salman Butt.

The 19-year-old bowler does not intend to seek a relaxation to the ICC ban on him and Lorgat said that is the way to go for the youngster who should be focused on his rehabilitation.

“I would prefer that the starting point should not be about whether we (ICC) could reduce the sentence,” Lorgat said.

“Let that (the reduction of the ban) be the end result of a process of rehabilitation since he has now come clean, if that is indeed the case. Part of the sanction he received from the ICC tribunal was to educate himself and for him to educate others. So let us do all the necessary building blocks before we get to a point where anyone could ask, ‘Does he now deserve a review?’” he added.

“I find it very unfortunate for Mohammad Amir. We did provide him with lots of opportunities,” Lorgat said.

Lorgat said Amir had pleaded guilty in front of the ICC committee or else, he could have got a lighter punishment.

“The tribunal might have looked at it differently and who knows what decision they could have come to on sanction. It could have been a different story. I am sad for him.”

Lorgat advised Amir to “do all the right things” from now on.