Mohammad Amir, one of the most prominent fast bowlers in Pakistan history, is set to return to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2027 under an unprecedented condition.
However, the catch is that rather than taking the field as a local player from Pakistan, the 34-year-old left-arm pacer will be registered as an overseas player in the upcoming season. This unusual shift stems entirely from a change in his nationality, creating a complex administrative puzzle for both the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and his current franchise, The Pindiz (based out of Rawalpindi).
Mohmmad Amir has recently acquired British citizenship. During an appearance on Wisden’s The Scoop Extended podcast, the left-arm pacer confirmed that holding a British passport has changed his legal registration parameters for franchise leagues. Since he is no longer legally classified as a Pakistani national, the PSL tournament regulations dictate that he must be categorized as an overseas player.
PSL franchises are restricted to carrying between five and seven overseas players in their overall squad, with a maximum of four allowed in the active playing XI on matchdays.
As Mohammad Amir now counts as a foreign cricketer, any team fielding him in 2027 must sacrifice one of those coveted overseas slots.
Massive Complication For Pindiz
The most immediate complication lands at the feet of Mohammad Amir’s current franchise, The Pindiz. During the PSL 2026 auction, the team secured Mohammad Amir for PKR 5.4 crore as a marquee domestic fast-bowling option alongside stars such as Naseem Shah.
Under the league’s auction framework, players acquired or retained ahead of that season were handed a two-year contract covering both the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
Since Mohammad Amir was drafted on a two-year deal as a local cricketer, his reclassification as a foreign player creates a major contract conundrum for the franchise. The PCB has yet to issue an official ruling on what to do in this situation. The board has to decide whether Pindiz can simply convert his existing contract to an overseas slot, if the agreement needs to be renegotiated, or whether Amir must be released into the player pool for the next draft cycle.
The practical impact of his new citizenship first surfaced during the English domestic calendar in 2026. When Nottinghamshire signed Mohammad Amir for the Vitality Blast T20 competition, the county officially confirmed that he would not occupy an overseas player spot because he held a British passport. This enabled him to play as a domestic cricketer in England, which subsequently paved the way for his stint with the Trent Rockets in The Hundred as a local replacement player.