Mohammad Amir rules out IPL 2027 auction registration

Amir rules himself out

Mohammad Amir has ruled out registering for the IPL 2027 auction. "No, I'm not [registering for the auction]," he told Cricbuzz in a message from Dubai.

The denial followed a post on X on 2 November. "Hi everyone just wanted to clarify news regarding IPL is not true," Amir wrote. The IPL 2027 mini-auction is scheduled for 16 December in Goa.

Eligibility would not have guaranteed a bid. The BCCI said on Monday that overseas players wishing to enter the auction can register through their respective boards, with the window closing on 23 November. Amir, as a domestic player in England, could have registered through the England and Wales Cricket Board. Cricbuzz reported there was no guarantee he would have found a buyer.

Why the passport changed the question

Pakistan players have not featured in the IPL since the inaugural 2008 season. A British passport, in theory, sidesteps that. It can also remove the need for a No-Objection Certificate from the Pakistan Cricket Board, which players of Pakistani nationality need before appearing in other leagues.

Amir acquired British citizenship in May 2026 through his marriage to Narjis Khan, a UK-based lawyer. He has since played for Nottinghamshire in the Vitality Blast and for Trent Rockets in The Hundred as a local player rather than an overseas recruit.

He has been blunt about what changed. "I am a British local now," he said, according to DNA India. Playing county cricket and The Hundred as a local means signing a document that bars you from playing for another country as a local, he said. "Therefore, the Pakistan chapter I had before is now closed."

Sports Tak reported that his British status is expected to reclassify him as an overseas signing in the Pakistan Super League.

The APL draft that started the talk

The speculation began with the Afghanistan Premier League. Amir registered for the APL draft as a UK national, listed in the Platinum category, the highest tier. The draft was scheduled for 3 November in Dubai.

More than 30 Pakistan players are on the APL register, among them Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub and Shan Masood. Their availability depends on NOCs from the PCB. A spokesperson told Cricbuzz "I don't think so" when asked whether those clearances would come. The tournament is scheduled to begin on 27 December 2026 in the United Arab Emirates.

Precedent and next steps

Azhar Mahmood is the precedent. The former Pakistan all-rounder played in the IPL from 2012 to 2015 for Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders on a British passport. A Sports described Mahmood as the only Pakistan-born cricketer to have featured in the IPL while holding British citizenship. It also said the BCCI has issued no formal directive on Pakistani players and franchises have generally chosen not to bid for them.

Amir's international record: 159 matches for Pakistan, 36 Tests, 61 ODIs and 62 T20Is. A Sports put his international wicket tally at 271 across formats. His last international appearance came against Ireland at the 2024 T20 World Cup in Florida.

The auction registration window closes on 23 November. Amir's name will not be in the pool for this cycle.