Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has backed Mohammad Amir to get "better and better" after the paceman took a wicket on his return to international cricket following his ban for spot-fixing.

Amir had served a five-year ban from the sport - as well as from a jail sentence - after being convicted of a conspiracy to bowl no-balls to order during Pakistan's Test series against England in 2010.

The 23-year-old made his return to the green of Pakistan on Friday and his figures of one for 31 helped towards a 16-run win over New Zealand in the first of three Twenty20 internationals.

Amir's participation had been the cause of consternation among some players past and present but Waqar - a former Pakistan pace bowling great - was happy with the left-armer's display.

"I'm very pleased with Mohammed Amir's comeback," he said in a press conference broadcast on www.pcb.com.pk. "I thought he bowled pretty okay. He'll get better and better.

"Twenty20 is a tough game, it moves so fast. It's difficult to expect certain things from some bowlers. You have to work as a bowling unit. If someone bowls bad someone has to come and cover that up.

"I thought when Umar Gul bowled one bad over, when (New Zealand) took him on, the others came to the rescue. I'm expecting Amir to give breakthroughs with the new ball. He's got the capability."

Amir's wicket came in the form of tailender Matt Henry, caught by Shahid Afridi, who did drop one off the bowler earlier in the innings.

However, Waqar shrugged it off, saying: "Look, I wanted those catches to be taken. It would have given (Amir) the confidence.

"But this is part of the game. I'm sure he knows and he will come back."