Mohammad Amir Joins England's The Hundred As Local Player. Reason: Citizenship
Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir has reportedly joined Trent Rockets as an injury replacement for the upcoming season of The Hundred.
- Mohammad Amir joined Trent Rockets as a domestic player replacing injured David Payne
- Amir initially entered The Hundred draft as an overseas player but went unsold
- Amir obtained British citizenship, allowing him to play as a domestic player in The Hundred
Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir has reportedly joined Trent Rockets as an injury replacement for the upcoming season of The Hundred. The most notable aspect of the signing is that Amir has joined the franchise as a domestic player rather than an overseas recruit. Interestingly, he had initially entered the player draft as an overseas cricketer with a reserve price of 75,000 pounds but went unsold. Since then, Amir has been granted British citizenship and has now entered the competition as a local player, replacing David Payne in the Trent Rockets squad.
“Fast bowler Mohammad Amir will replace David Payne, who continues his recovery from an ankle injury. We wish David all the best in his recovery," announced the Rockets in an official statement.
According to an ESPNCricinfo report, concerns were raised before Amir's signing was officially confirmed, with some arguing that he should not be eligible to play as a domestic player in The Hundred after having registered for the draft as an overseas player. Critics pointed out that most teams, apart from those seeking injury replacements, were effectively unable to sign him under those circumstances.
However, the ECB approved the move, stating that since Amir now meets the eligibility criteria to be classified as a domestic player, he is entitled to participate in that capacity.
This is not the only controversy surrounding the 2026 edition of The Hundred. Earlier in March, the UK-based competition made headlines after Indian-owned franchise SunRisers Leeds selected Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed in the player draft.
Abrar was roped in by the franchise - which is also in charge of the IPL side Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 - for 190,000 GBP (approx. Rs 2.34 crore) during the auction in London, sparking an outrage from the Indian fans.
SunRisers Leeds head coach Daniel Vettori explained that the team signed Abrar Ahmed due to a lack of quality spin options, especially after missing out on England's Adil Rashid. Abrar, currently the third-ranked T20I bowler, was seen as a valuable addition.
The Hundred begins on July 21 and will run until August 16.
Pakistan Cricket Team
Mohammad Amir