Amir eyes IPL contract in 2026

The pacer is set to acquire UK citizenship soon

Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir opened up about the possibility of playing in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) as a British citizen.

Amir, who has played 36 Tests, 61 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and 62 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), is optimistic about becoming eligible to play, citing his plans to secure a UK passport through his wife, Narjis, a UK citizen.

Amir - winner of the 2009 T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy 2017 - had stated firmly last year that he would not play for England because he has already represented Pakistan but had not ruled out playing the cash-rich league.

Speaking on a private TV show, Amir shared that if given the opportunity, he would not hesitate to seize the chance to play in the IPL.

"If I get the opportunity to play next year, I would definitely play," he said, adding that RCB was his favorite team, making the prospect of joining them particularly appealing.

Amir's admiration for Kohli extends beyond their on-field battles. He recalled a gesture from the former India captain, who once gifted him his bat, with which Amir played some memorable innings.

"Virat gifted me his bat, and I was overwhelmed by his action. I've always been a great admirer of his batting, and he is a fan of my bowling. I played some good knocks with his bat," Amir reminisced. The former pacer further revealed that he would want to represent Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) if gets selected.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Test batter Ahmed Shehzad, who was also a part of the panel, claimed that RCB needs an experienced bowler like Mohammad Amir and also that the latter could help them win their maiden IPL title.

"RCB need a bowler like Amir to fix their bowling woes. They have a good batting unit, but their bowling has always been a problem. If Amir plays for RCB, they will win the title," he said.