Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim Signed by Northern Superchargers for The Hundred 2025

Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim have officially signed contracts with the Northern Superchargers for the 2025 season of The Hundred, a popular franchise cricket tournament in England. With this signing, they have become the first Pakistani players to be selected for this year’s edition of the tournament.

According to media reports, there were earlier concerns that Pakistani players might be left out of The Hundred due to a change in the tournament’s ownership. However, Amir and Imad’s inclusion has put those doubts to rest — at least for now.

Both players were brought in as replacements. Australian fast bowler Ben Dwarshuis had to withdraw from the entire season because of international duties, while New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner is expected to miss the first two matches for the same reason. This opened the door for the Pakistani duo to step in.

The Northern Superchargers team will be managed by the Indian media group Sun Group starting from October 1, 2025. This shift in control had raised questions about whether Pakistani players would be welcomed, especially considering the complex political relations between India and Pakistan. Earlier this year, fans and analysts were surprised when no Pakistani male players were selected in the March draft — a major change from previous years where several had taken part.

There was also growing speculation that the influence of new owners might be behind this change. Out of the eight franchises in The Hundred, four are now owned by Indian businessmen, while two others are controlled by Indian-Americans. This added to fears that Pakistani players could be sidelined for non-cricketing reasons.

However, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) firmly denied these rumors. The ECB stated clearly that Pakistani players were not being deliberately excluded and that selection was based purely on performance and availability.

Cricket experts have offered some explanations for the absence of Pakistani players in the original draft. They pointed out that most Pakistani players were unavailable at the time due to their international schedule, which included a white-ball tour of the West Indies and a tri-nation series in the UAE. Additionally, Pakistan’s recent struggles in T20 internationals and the last-minute withdrawals of top players like Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah in previous seasons may have made teams cautious.

Now, with Amir and Imad joining the Superchargers, the team’s bowling strength is expected to improve significantly. Their arrival brings more experience and skill to the squad. The Superchargers are also expected to have England star Ben Stokes in the lineup, although he had to skip the current season due to shoulder surgery.

Their return to The Hundred not only brings joy to Pakistani fans but also proves that top performers from Pakistan still have a place in international franchise cricket — regardless of politics or ownership changes.

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