Former Pakistan stars signed by Northern Superchargers for The Hundred 2025

Fomer Pakistan cricketers Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim have signed with Northern Superchargers for the 2025 edition of The Hundred. They are the first players from Pakistan to secure contracts for this year’s tournament.

Imad comes in as a temporary replacement for New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner, who will miss two matches due to international duty. Meanwhile, Amir replaces Australian fast bowler Ben Dwarshuis, who has been ruled out of the entire season for the same reason.

Earlier this year, there were concerns that Pakistan players might be overlooked due to the tournament’s new ownership structure. The Northern Superchargers will officially come under the control of India’s Sun Group from October 1. With several other franchises now owned by Indian or Indian-American investors, doubts were raised about Pakistan’s future participation in the league.

Those fears grew stronger when no Pakistan male cricketer was picked in the March draft—unlike previous seasons, where several had featured. However, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) dismissed these concerns, stating clearly that no player would be excluded based on nationality.

Experts believe the absence of Pakistan players during the draft was due to a packed schedule, which included a white-ball series of the West Indies and a tri-nation series in the UAE. Pakistan’s recent struggles in T20 internationals and the last-minute withdrawals by Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah in the previous season may have also influenced the decisions.

Amir and Imad’s addition will strengthen the Superchargers squad, which already includes England star Ben Stokes. Although Stokes is listed in the squad, he will not play this season after undergoing shoulder surgery.