Mohammad Amir joins Afghanistan Premier League as British player

LAHORE: Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has joined the Afghanistan Premier League (APL) as a British player after being picked by Kandahar Warriors in the tournament’s player draft.

Amir was selected as the first pick in the Platinum category, securing a contract worth $100,000.

According to cricket website Cricbuzz, Amir registered for the tournament as a British citizen.

His British citizenship meant he did not require a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to participate in the league.

Kandahar Warriors make their first Platinum Pick, securing Muhammad Amir! 🔥 Watch live: https://t.co/nDwDZ33XTx #APLT20 | #APLDraft2026 https://t.co/d7fGKVtLO6

— Afghanistan Premier League (@theaplt20) November 3, 2026

Amir’s participation in the Afghan league comes amid speculation about his possible involvement in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as a British player.

However, the left-arm pacer dismissed reports of his potential IPL participation in a post on X two days ago.

“I want to clarify that the circulating news regarding my participation in the IPL is not true,” he wrote.

His statement put an end to speculation about his possible entry into the Indian tournament.

Amir announced his retirement from international cricket in 2024. During his career, he represented Pakistan in 36 Tests, 61 One-Day Internationals and 62 T20 Internationals, taking a combined 259 wickets across all three formats.

Meanwhile, the PCB has introduced a new NOC policy for players seeking to participate in private cricket leagues, setting hefty participation fees for certain tournaments.

Sources said the board had decided not to issue NOCs to national players for the Afghanistan Premier League amid ongoing political tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The PCB has not received any applications from players seeking permission to participate in the Afghan league so far.

The board has also introduced a conditional NOC policy for the International League T20 (ILT20) and Abu Dhabi T10.

Under the new policy, players seeking to participate in the ILT20 will have to pay $25,000, while those wishing to feature in the Abu Dhabi T10 will be required to pay $10,000.

The PCB will not issue an NOC to any player unless the prescribed fee is paid.

PCB officials said other international cricket boards also follow similar NOC policies for private cricket leagues.