Mohammad Amir in England Jersey. Image Credits: ChatGPT
In a massive turn of events, Pakistan veteran Mohammad Amir has now become eligible to play the Indian Premier League. Amir, who has never played the IPL in his life, is now officially eligible to participate in the massive tournament that is currently ongoing.
As per Apex Sports, Mohammad Amir has received his British passport and now officially holds British nationality as well, which makes him eligible to play in the IPL despite being Pakistan-born.
Why Amir Couldn’t Play The IPL Before?
Amir, who recently concluded the Pakistan Super League 2026 for his team Rawalpindiz, was ineligible to play in India's premier T20 cricket league.
Historically, Amir had a geopolitical ban for holding a Pakistani passport and was also previously suspended for spot-fixing. This kept Amir out of the tournament for years.
The Pakistan Player Ban
For the unaware, following the IPL season in 2008, the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Indian government barred cricketers holding Pakistani passports from participating in the league.
This decision was a result of deteriorating geopolitical and diplomatic relations, especially after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Since Mohammad Amir represented Pakistan internationally and carried a Pakistani passport, he could not be drafted or auctioned in the tournament.
The Spot-Fixing Scandal
Adding to this woe, a major spot-fixing scandal during Pakistan's tour of England in 2010 further delayed his chance to join the tournament. He was banned for many years before the ban was lifted in 2015, which allowed him to return to international and domestic cricket.
How Amir Can Now Participate In The IPL?
Now, as per Apex Sports, Amir, who applied for his British passport and also played in The Hundred, is now a British citizen. The IPL's geopolitical restriction specifically targets individuals holding Pakistani passports. It usually does not ban people who were born in Pakistan.
When registering for the IPL auction, players need to submit their official international documentation, and because Amir will be holding a UK passport, he can be registered as a British national.
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To sweeten the pot, Amir's international spot-fixing ban also ended a decade ago, and he now has no active disciplinary bans from the International Cricket Council.
Earlier too, former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood registered for the IPL as a British citizen after marrying a UK national and successfully entered the auction to play for Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders.
Will Mohammad Amir Play IPL 2027?
Although Amir has been in solid form in T20 cricket, there will remain a question whether Amir can feature in the upcoming edition of the IPL in 2027 or not.
Amid widespread controversy over the inclusion of Pakistan-born players in tournaments like The Hundred or SA20, it is unlikely that Amir will be able to play for any IPL franchise.
Mohammad Amir can officially submit his name to the IPL player auction pool under England's country designation. While he is legally eligible to be drafted, his actual participation will finally depend on whether any IPL franchise chooses to bid for him or not.
BCCI To Prioritize Sensitivity Over Pakistani Players
As things stand now, realistically, Mohammad Amir is highly unlikely to ever step onto an IPL field, even though he is now legally eligible.
Although the paperwork problem has been solved, the major political, corporate, and structural barriers are still in place.
The BCCI operates the IPL under the strict purview of the Indian government and public sentiment. Hence, a Pakistan cricket team representative might never step into the IPL ring as things stand now in 2026, especially after the recent Kashmir terror attack.
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