Pakistani cricketers Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim have officially signed with the Northern Superchargers for the 2025 season of The Hundred tournament.

 

According to reports, the duo has been brought in as replacements for Ben Dwarshuis and Mitchell Santner.

 

Earlier, concerns were raised over the participation of Pakistani players in the tournament, as several team owners have links to India. It was reported that Pakistani cricketers might be excluded due to political and commercial pressures.

 

These concerns grew after it was announced that the Northern Superchargers will come under the ownership of the Indian media group ‘Sun’ from October 1. Questions were raised regarding the future involvement of Pakistani players under the new ownership.

 

At the start of the year, it also came as a surprise that no Pakistani player was picked during the March draft, a stark contrast to previous seasons. This led to speculation that four of the franchises are owned by Indian business groups, while two others are held by Indian-American owners, and that this influence could have played a role in sidelining Pakistani talent.

 

However, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had dismissed such claims, assuring that no bias would be shown against Pakistani players.

 

Experts believe that Pakistan’s international commitments around the draft period, including the tour of the West Indies and a tri-series in the UAE, along with a dip in recent T20 performances, contributed to the lack of selections. 

 

Additionally, last-minute withdrawals by Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah last year were also cited as contributing factors.

 

With the inclusion of Amir and Imad, the Northern Superchargers have strengthened their squad. The team also features England all-rounder Ben Stokes, although he has opted out of this season due to shoulder surgery.