Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has put an end to speculation that he could enter the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2027 auction as a British citizen, publicly denying reports that he planned to register for the tournament.
Amir, one of Pakistan’s most recognisable left-arm pacers, said on Monday, 2 November that the reports linking him to the upcoming auction were untrue. “Hi everyone just wanted to clarify news regarding IPL is not true,” he wrote in a public clarification on X, ending days of intense speculation about a move that would have made him a rare Pakistan-origin player to appear in the league.
Amir denies IPL 2027 auction reports
The rumours began after several outlets, including Cricbuzz, reported that Amir was widely expected to register for the IPL 2027 mini-auction using his British citizenship rather than his Pakistani passport. Amir, who acquired British citizenship in May 2026 through his wife, UK-based lawyer Narjis Khan, shut the door on that possibility when he told Cricbuzz directly: “No, I’m not [registering for the auction].”
His statement means his name will not be in the auction pool for the IPL 2027 mini-auction, which is scheduled to be held on 16 December in Goa. The league’s franchise retention deadline falls on 17 November, with the player registration window closing on 23 November.
Why the rumours started: British passport and the Afghanistan Premier League draft
The speculation was not baseless. Days earlier, Amir registered for the Afghanistan Premier League (APL) draft as a United Kingdom national — the draft was held in Dubai on Tuesday, 3 November — and was listed in the Platinum category, the highest tier, with the United Kingdom mentioned as his country of residence.
Because a British passport lets him register for leagues as a UK national, many outlets linked that move to a possible IPL entry, reasoning that he could enter the IPL auction without needing a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Pakistan Cricket Board. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has said players can register for the IPL auction through their respective overseas boards, and Amir could have registered through the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) as he is now treated as a domestic player in English cricket.
Amir had also kept the door open himself: speaking during The Hundred in August 2026, he said he had not decided whether he would participate in the IPL, a remark that fuelled further conjecture.
Pakistan’s IPL barrier and the Azhar Mahmood precedent
Players from Pakistan have not featured in the IPL since the league’s inaugural season, despite the global nature of the tournament. The one notable exception was former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood, who turned out for Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders between 2012 and 2015 by virtue of holding a British passport — bought for USD 200,000 at the 2012 auction after the ECB cleared him.
Amir’s change of status has already reshaped his career on paper: he no longer counts as an overseas player in English domestic cricket, where he now plays in leagues like the T20 Blast and The Hundred, and his registration for overseas leagues has begun to shift toward his UK status. In the Pakistan Super League, where he last played for Pakistan’s national side at the 2024 T20 World Cup, the same reclassification applies.
What happens next for Mohammad Amir
With the IPL option ruled out for this cycle, Amir’s immediate franchise focus remains the Afghanistan Premier League, though even that route has complications: the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s draft register states that the availability of Pakistani players depends on NOCs from the PCB, and a PCB spokesperson poured cold water on such clearances, telling Cricbuzz: “I don’t think so.”
For now, the former Pakistan pacer remains active on the global T20 circuit as a UK national — but he will not be part of the IPL 2027 auction pool when the franchises gather in Goa on 16 December.
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