Mohammad Amir rules himself out entering IPL auction

Mohammad Amir, the former Pakistani pacer, has said that he has no intention of entering the upcoming IPL auctions. In a message to Cricbuzz, the 33-year-old left-arm pacer, who has recently acquired British citizenship, ruled out the possibility of bidding for a place in an IPL team, the richest and arguably the best T20 league in the world. On December 16, the IPL 2027 auction is scheduled to take place.

“No, I’m not [registering for the auction],” Amir, a former Pakistan pacer with 159 international appearances (36 Tests, 61 ODIs and 62 T20Is), said in a message from Dubai. Having acquired British citizenship, it was thought that Amir could become eligible to enter the IPL auction, given that players from Pakistan have not been permitted to participate in the league.

Since the inaugural season, Pakistan players have not participated in the Indian Premier League. However, Azhar Mahmood participated in the league for a few seasons because he had a British passport. Amir could have registered for the IPL auctions given that he also had British citizenship. However, there was no guarantee that he would have found a buyer.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Monday that players wishing to enter the IPL auction can register through their respective overseas boards. The registration window closes on November 23. Given that he is now considered a domestic player in England, Amir could have registered with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

He represented Trent Rockets in The Hundred as a local player rather than as an overseas recruit for the Nottingham-based franchise. On Monday, Amir registered for the Afghanistan Premier League (APL) player draft as a UK national.

Amir has 271 taken international wickets across formats for Pakistan.