One of Pakistan’s greatest fast bowlers just changed categories. A passport he worked years to obtain has arrived. It is a small document with enormous implications. For PSL franchises, this news means a decision. For Amir, it means a final chapter in the competition he has called home. And for cricket fans, it raises a question that nobody saw coming quite this fast. Now PCB will enter Muhammad Amir as Overseas in PSL 2027 Auction.
Amir Confirms the News Himself
Mohammad Amir confirmed on the Wisden Pod that he will feature as an overseas player in PSL 2027 after obtaining British citizenship. He made the announcement calmly and clearly. There was no ambiguity in his words.
He revealed he will no longer be classified as a local Pakistani player. PSL franchises wanting to sign him must use one of their overseas slots. That is a significant shift for any franchise that relied on him as a local option.
How He Became a British Citizen
Amir has been living in the United Kingdom since 2020. His wife Narjis Khan is a British citizen, which is understood to have helped his settlement process in the UK. He applied for citizenship several years ago and completed all required legal processes.
The journey to British citizenship takes time. It requires a period of settled status, a Life in the UK test, and meeting language requirements. Amir completed every step. His UK passport is now official and confirmed.
What This Means for PSL Franchises
The practical impact on PSL 2027 is straightforward. PSL franchises must use one of their overseas player slots if they want to sign Amir for the 2027 season. He cannot be picked in the local player category anymore.
PSL teams are permitted a limited number of overseas players per squad. Using one of those precious slots on Amir is a genuine decision. He is 34 years old. He is experienced and still effective. But there are younger international options available at similar or lower price points. Franchises will weigh all of this carefully.
Playing as a Local in The Hundred Right Now
There is an interesting dual reality playing out simultaneously. Amir is currently representing Trent Rockets in The Hundred 2026 as a local player because of his British passport. He joined as a replacement for the injured David Payne.
That registration as a domestic player in England is exactly what his citizenship enables. In four matches, Amir has bowled his full quota of 80 balls, conceding only 113 runs while taking four wickets in three matches. His best performance came against Sunrisers Leeds. He claimed 2 for 20 to help Trent Rockets defend their total in a thrilling five-run victory.
PSL 2027 Expected to Be His Final Season
This news carries an emotional dimension beyond just the administrative reclassification. According to multiple reports, PSL 2027 is also expected to be Amir’s final appearance in the tournament before he steps away from Pakistan franchise cricket.
That makes PSL 2027 his farewell. Every franchise that signs him will be taking on not just a bowler but a piece of Pakistani cricket history. The team that hands him his final PSL cap will be part of the story of how his career ended.
Amir’s International Career in Numbers
Amir retired from international cricket for the second time in December 2024. He featured in 36 Tests, 61 ODIs, and 62 T20Is, taking 271 wickets at an average of 27.98.
His career had two distinct chapters. The first ended with the spot-fixing scandal in 2010. The second began when he returned in 2015 after serving his ban. He played some of the finest cricket of his career after his return.
His match-winning spell in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final against India, where he dismissed Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shikhar Dhawan, remains one of Pakistan’s most celebrated bowling performances in white-ball cricket.
The Azhar Mahmood Precedent
Amir is not the first Pakistan-born cricketer to travel this road. Azhar Mahmood is the only Pakistan-born cricketer to appear in the IPL after the inaugural season. Mahmood played 23 matches in the IPL between 2012 and 2015, having entered the auction as an English player after obtaining a British passport.
That precedent matters. Mahmood did it years ago. Amir now follows the same path. The key difference is scale. Amir is a far bigger name than Mahmood was at that stage. His British passport reclassification carries more commercial and sporting significance as a result.
Could IPL Come Next?
British citizenship also technically makes Amir eligible for the IPL auction. Political tensions and BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) policies still make his IPL 2027 participation highly unlikely. But the eligibility now exists on paper.
Amir expressed his desire to play in the IPL, saying by next year he would have the opportunity to play in the IPL, and if given the chance, then why not. Whether the political situation allows it is a separate question entirely. The citizenship removes the technical barrier. Everything else remains complicated.
The broader story of how overseas player regulations affect franchise leagues across the world is explored in our piece on PSL 2025 foreign players and their outstanding records, which gives useful context on how the overseas slot system shapes franchise decisions every season.
What PSL Franchises Must Now Decide
Every PSL franchise that previously budgeted for Amir as a local option must now rethink its overseas allocation. That could create a vacancy in some squads and an opportunity in others.
The PSL’s overseas player system and how it drives franchise spending decisions is explored in detail in our piece on how PSL makes money through sponsorships and broadcast deals.
Amir’s reclassification as an overseas player is exactly the kind of roster shift that changes budget calculations across multiple franchises simultaneously and adds unexpected complexity to draft planning ahead of PSL 2027.
Conclusion
Mohammad Amir is a British citizen. He will play PSL 2027 as an overseas player. It is expected to be his last season. Franchises that want him must now spend an overseas slot to get him. Some will. Some will not. Either way, one of Pakistan’s finest fast bowlers is entering the final chapter of his domestic franchise career with a new passport in his pocket. It is a fitting twist for a career that has never been short of them.
