Mohammad Amir enters the Afghan League draft as a British citizen. Will the IPL follow?

Mohammad Amir could be considering a return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) after registering for the Afghanistan Premier League (APL) draft as a British citizen. The former Pakistan fast bowler has entered the Platinum category for the draft, which is scheduled to be held in Dubai on Tuesday, November 3. His registration has also raised the possibility of his participation in the IPL auction later this year.

Amir, 34, currently lives in England and has obtained British citizenship. He was formally listed as a UK national for the APL proposal. The left-arm fast bowler’s decision to register under a different nationality is significant, especially given his complicated relationship with Pakistan cricket.

This move has a possible advantage. By registering as a UK national, Amir will not require a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) like players registered with Pakistani nationality. This could give him more freedom to explore franchise cricket options outside of Pakistan.

AMIR HAS ALREADY STARTED HIS JOURNEY AS A UK NATIONAL

Amir has already started his journey as a British national, featuring in England’s domestic T20, T20 Blast and The Hundred competitions. His registration with the Afghan league is the next step towards establishing himself in the franchise circuit outside Pakistan.

Amir had previously made it clear that his relationship with Pakistan cricket ended. The former Pakistan international retired from international cricket in 2024 after previously reversing his retirement in 2020. His latest move suggests that he would like to continue playing franchise cricket on his own terms.

More than 30 Pakistani players, including Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Hasan Ali, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf and Imad Wasim, feature in the APL draft register. However, the PCB spokesperson seems to have ruled out the possibility of issuing NOCs to its players for the tournament.

WILL THE IPL FOLLOW? AZHAR MAHMOOD OFFERS PRECEDENCE

There is precedent for Amir’s potential IPL comeback. Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood played in the IPL as a British national, representing Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders between 2012 and 2015.

Mahmood played 23 IPL matches, scoring 388 runs and picking up 29 wickets. His IPL career showed that the former Pakistan international with British citizenship could find a way into the world’s biggest T20 league.

However, Amir’s participation in the IPL remains uncertain. His registration for the APL draft does not automatically guarantee entry into the IPL auction or a franchise contract. Whether he decides to register for the auction and whether teams show interest in signing him remains to be seen.

The Afghanistan Premier League draft also includes two former India internationals, Vijay Shankar and KS Bharat, both of whom have retired from all forms of cricket, including the IPL. Vijay has registered as an Indian player while Bharat is listed as an Indian player residing in the UAE. Both were placed in the gold category, alongside Murugan Ashwin. A total of 462 players were shortlisted across draft categories.

The APL is expected to take place later this year. For Amir, however, the immediate focus could extend beyond Afghanistan. Having already started his journey as a British national in England domestic cricket, the IPL opportunity could be the next big step in his franchise career.

– The end