In the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, former Pakistani pacer Mohammad Amir could make his IPL debut. It will not be a debut as a Pakistani but rather as a British citizen.
Right-arm pacer, who troubled batters with his inswinging balls, has settled in the UK. In an interview with Pakistan’s ARY channel, Amir was asked whether he would switch sides to England after playing for Pakistan and if he wants to play in IPL 2024.
The 31-year-old has played in 50 T20Is, 36 ODIs, and 36 Tests for Pakistan. At Old Trafford in August 2020, he played his final game for his country against England in a T20I match.
Mohammad Amir: One of Pakistan’s finest bowlers
At 17, Amir made his first-class debut in November 2008. He made his debut in One-Day Internationals and Tests in Sri Lanka in July 2009. He played in his first international game at the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, which helped his country’s team win the competition.
Amir helped Pakistan in winning the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy eight years later in England, and he hugely contributed with the ball in the final match, taking crucial wickets of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shikhar Dhawan.
He was charged with spot-fixing on August 29, 2010, and handed a five-year suspension for bowling two no-balls. Amir pleaded guilty after accepting the International Cricket Council lawyer’s verdict.
Amir was found guilty of a spot-fixing in November 2011 at Southwark Crown Court together with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif. He was sent to three months in prison. Due to his young age, his term was moderate in comparison to the other two players, with suspensions of 7 and 10 years, respectively, virtually ending their careers.
Even though Amir’s initial sentence was set to end on 2 September 2015, it was said on 29 January 2015 that he would be allowed an early return to domestic cricket. Mohammad Amir plays in the 2015 Bangladesh Premier League for the Chittagong Vikings. In 2016, he returned to play for Pakistan on their tour of New Zealand.
He was one of the 33 players who got a central contract from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in August 2018 for the 2018–19 season. Amir retired from Test cricket on July 26, 2019, to focus on white-ball cricket. He retired from international cricket on December 17, 2020.
Mohammad Amir’s Journey to UK Citizenship
Amir will not be qualified for a British passport for another year after moving to the UK in 2020. As a result, the rumors about his IPL 2024 debut have come back. The former Pakistani fast bowler recently shared his opinions on the subject.
“I only have a year. I’m not sure what the situation would be. I always go cautiously. After a year, I don’t know where I’ll be. Nobody has access to the future. When I get my passport, I’ll take advantage of any chance I have, Mohammad Amir said to ARY News.
It’s crucial to note that Pakistani players took part in the IPL’s inaugural season in 2008. However, Pakistani players do not play in the T20 series since then. It is due to the tense political relations between India and Pakistan.
Here’s the rule for British Citizenship
If a person marries or is in a civil partnership with a British citizen, they should live in the UK for three years before applying to be their spouse or civil partner.
Azhar Mahmood, a former all-rounder for Pakistan, played in the IPL. In 2012 and 2013, he played for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). In 2015, he also took the pitch for the Kolkata Knight Riders, a team owned by Shahrukh Khan.
Also, since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Pakistani players are not playing in the Indian Premier League. It is due to tense relations between India and Pakistan. In 2008, different teams were represented by Shoaib Akhtar, Tounish Khan, Salman Butt, and Sohail Tanvir.
Mohammad Amir desires to return to Pakistan and play in the IPL 2024. That too, despite retiring from international cricket due to his displeasure with the team’s handling of him.
It would be great to see whether the left-arm seamer would think about returning to the team and becoming eligible for selection, given how Pakistan Cricket has changed since then.
