Mohammad Amir registers for Afghanistan Premier League draft as UK national

Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has registered for the Afghanistan Premier League (APL) players' draft as a British national, according to Express News and Daily Pakistan.

Reports say Amir obtained a British passport and holds British citizenship, so he would not need a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Pakistan Cricket Board to play in the tournament. Daily Times reported that he currently lives in England, though Pakistan remains listed as his country of residence in the draft register.

Amir has been placed in the Platinum category, the highest player bracket in the tournament. The Platinum salary is $100,000. The other categories are Diamond at $65,000, Gold at $40,000, Silver at $20,000 and Emerging at $10,000.

Express News and Daily Pakistan report that the PCB has decided not to issue NOCs to Pakistani players who want to take part in the league. Daily Times said media reports suggest the board is unlikely to grant them. The Afghanistan Cricket Board has said Pakistani players can take part only after getting the required clearance from the PCB.

More than 30 Pakistani cricketers have registered for the draft, according to Daily Times. They include Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Hasan Ali, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf and Imad Wasim.

The league will have five franchises, each allowed to register up to 18 players. Each squad must include 11 to 12 Afghan cricketers and six to seven overseas players. Each franchise will have a total player budget between $650,000 and $750,000.

Amir last played for Pakistan against Ireland at the 2024 T20 World Cup in Lauderhill, Florida. He played 36 Tests, 61 One-Day Internationals and 62 T20 Internationals for the country. The draft is due on Tuesday in Dubai, according to Daily Times.