Mohammad Amir opens up on his IPL future

Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir opened up about the possibility of playing in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) as a British citizen.

Amir, 32, is set to acquire his UK citizenship soon due to his marriage to a British national Narjis Khan.

Amir — winner of the 2009 T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy 2017 — had stated firmly last year that he would not play for England because he has already represented Pakistan but had not ruled out playing the cash-rich league.

The left-arm pacer, who announced his retirement from international cricket for the second time last year, shared that he will be eligible to play in the IPL in 2026 during his appearance on Geo News programme ‘Haarna Mana Hai’.

“By next year, I will have the opportunity to play in the IPL, and if given the chance, then why not? I will play in the IPL,” said Amir.

The former pacer further revealed that he would want to represent Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) if gets selected.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Test batter Ahmed Shehzad, who was also a part of the panel, claimed that RCB needs an experienced bowler like Mohammad Amir and also that the latter could help them win their maiden IPL title.

“RCB need a bowler like Amir to fix their bowling woes. They have a good batting unit, but their bowling has always been a problem. If Amir plays for RCB, they will win the title," he said.

It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan players are banned from participating in the cash-rich league since 2008 due to the strained political ties between the two neighbouring countries.

Azhar Mehmood is the only Pakistani cricketer to have ever played in IPL while being a UK citizen.