Mohammad Amir has registered for the Afghanistan Premier League as a British citizen, and speculation is growing that he could now apply for the IPL auction. He has already gained domestic-player status in English cricket, prompting suggestions that an IPL appearance could follow.
But a British passport does not erase his spot-fixing history. His past and the sensitivities surrounding Pakistan players make an IPL contract look highly unlikely.
Mohammad Amir IPL hopes face the fixing question
BCCI has a clear zero-tolerance stance towards corruption. Its handling of Sreesanth’s case shows that even an Indian international was not exempt from disciplinary action.
A Delhi court discharged Sreesanth in the criminal case in 2015. However, that did not automatically overturn BCCI’s separate disciplinary findings. The board initially maintained his lifetime ban, which was later reduced to seven years following the Supreme Court’s intervention.
Even after his suspension ended and he returned to domestic cricket, Sreesanth never played in the IPL again. He reached the final auction list in 2022, but no franchise signed him. An Indian player’s return to eligibility therefore did not translate into an IPL comeback.
Amir’s involvement in the 2010 Lord’s spot-fixing scandal was established by an ICC tribunal, which imposed a five-year ban. Although he served that punishment and returned to cricket, changing his citizenship cannot remove that chapter from his career.
Our assessment is that no IPL franchise will even consider buying Amir, because doing so would risk breaking the trust of Indian fans. For a franchise, protecting its credibility with supporters is a responsibility that extends beyond a player’s bowling ability.
His Pakistan career adds another complication
Pakistan players have remained outside the IPL since its inaugural season. Amir’s history as a Pakistan international adds another sensitive element to any potential signing.
British citizenship has previously provided a route into the competition, with former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood playing on a British passport. However, that precedent does not resolve the separate concerns surrounding Amir’s fixing history.
Registration, inclusion in the auction and securing a contract are three different steps. Amir’s entry into the APL draft confirms his participation in that process; it does not establish that BCCI has accepted him for an IPL auction or that a franchise is willing to sign him.
