Amir and Wasim signed as replacements for the Hundred as pair join Northern Superchargers after Pakistan players were snubbed in draft.
Northern Superchargers have inked contracts with Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim, allaying fears that the new Indian owners might bar Pakistani players from the Hundred.
Earlier this year, the ECB emphasised that the participation of Pakistani players in the Hundred would not be impacted by the identity of new investors, of whom four out of eight are located in India and two more are Indian-American. “We’re aware of that in other regions,” ECB chief executive Richard Gould stated in February, “but that won’t be happening here.”
When, unlike prior seasons, no men’s players were signed at the March draft, eyebrows were raised. However, Pakistan’s recent troubles in Twenty20 Internationals, the late withdrawals of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah last year, and the unavailability of their white-ball squads (due to a trip of the West Indies and a tri-series in the UAE) could potentially be reasons for the omission.
As late replacements for Ben Dwarshuis (who will play the entire season) and Mitchell Santner (who will play two games) at the Superchargers due to international service, Amir and Wasim became the first two Pakistani players to sign contracts for the 2025 campaign on Monday. On October 1, the Sun Group, a group of media tycoons from India, will take over as the Superchargers’ new owners.
“You will see me knocking about the Hundred, not in a playing way,” Stokes said. “I had to make a decision in January if I would participate in the comp, but that was after my hamstring surgery. I said I’d still like to be a part of it, so I will be milling about. I won’t have a notebook and pen. I said I would come and give my time to the team. I will be cracking on with my rehab.”