Mohammad Amir denies IPL 2027 auction reports after UK citizenship

Mohammad Amir has denied reports that he plans to register for the IPL 2027 auction, clarifying on social media that the speculation is untrue, according to News18.

The former Pakistan left-arm pacer made the clarification after media reported on Monday that he was likely to enter the mini-auction as a British player. Amir, 34, registered for the Afghanistan Premier League draft in Dubai on November 3 as a UK national, according to News18.

He obtained British citizenship in May 2026 through his marriage to UK citizen and lawyer Narjis Khan, and has since featured as a domestic player for Nottinghamshire in the Vitality Blast and appeared in The Hundred.

The APL draft took place on Tuesday, November 3, in Dubai, ahead of the league’s return later this year.

The APL is set to feature five franchises representing Afghan provinces: Kandahar captained by Rashid Khan, Balkh captained by Ibrahim Zadran, Kabul captained by Azmatullah Omarzai, Paktia captained by Rahmat Shah, and Nangarhar captained by Rahmanullah Gurbaz.

Organisers shortlisted approximately 462 players from around 1,500 registrants across Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver and Emerging categories.

Context and precedent

No Pakistan national has played in the IPL since the inaugural 2008 season, with political and diplomatic tensions after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks leading to an effective ban.

Azhar Mahmood, who played for Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders in 2012 and 2015, was the last Pakistan international in the league. He too played on a British passport, obtained through marriage to a UK citizen.

Azhar Mahmood became a British citizen in 2011 and was bought by Kings XI Punjab for USD 200,000 at the 2012 auction, double his base price, with the ECB clearing his name for selection.

He made 22 appearances for Kings XI Punjab across 2012 and 2013, scoring 382 runs and taking 29 wickets with a best of 3 for 20, and finished as the franchise’s leading wicket-taker in 2013 with 15.

In 2015, Kolkata Knight Riders signed him as a replacement for James Neesham, extending his stay in the IPL. Since then, Mahmood has remained the last Pakistan-born cricketer to appear in the IPL.

PCB stance and what happens next

The key advantage of registering as a UK national is that Amir may not require a No-Objection Certificate from the Pakistan Cricket Board. This contrasts with the position of other Pakistani players.

Reports indicate that more than 30 Pakistani cricketers, including Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf and Imad Wasim, have also put their names forward for the APL draft.

However, the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s auction register explicitly states that the availability of Pakistan players is subject to receiving NOCs from the PCB. A PCB spokesperson told Cricbuzz, “I don’t think so,” reflecting the diplomatic tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

There have been suggestions that NOCs for the APL have already faced rejection in light of the strained relations across the Durand Line.

Amir last played for Pakistan in June 2024, against Ireland in Lauderhill during the T20 World Cup, finishing with 36 Tests, 61 ODIs and 62 T20Is.

He was a member of the Pakistan teams that won the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 and the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.

Even had Amir registered, his place in the IPL 2027 mini-auction, likely to be held in Goa on December 16, would have depended on at least one franchise showing interest.

Amir has since clarified on his X account that the news about him playing in the IPL is not true.

Related on Apex Sports News

• IPL 2027 auction: retention deadline extended to November 17

• Finn Allen scores 101 runs in India vs New Zealand T20I series ahead of IPL 2027 mini auction

• Rohit Sharma back as Mumbai Indians captain for IPL 2027

Sources

• Khel Now

• news18.com

• Photo: Dave Morton, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)