Mohammad Amir is signed by the elite Desert Vipers for the upcoming ILT20 season.

“By adding Mohammad Amir, we have a player on our roster who is intimately familiar with the UAE’s rules and regulations. Amir’s contributions with the ball helped the New York Strikers win the T10 tournament in Abu Dhabi last month, according to a media release from Vipers director of cricket Tom Moody, who was cited by ESPNcricinfo. Amir was playing for the Strikers under one of our coaches, Carl Crowe.

Before the 2024 International League T20 (ILT20) even gets off, the Desert Vipers have strengthened their team by adding former Pakistani speedster Mohammad Amir.

The seasoned pacer, renowned for his vast experience, strengthens the bowling arsenal of the Vipers. Mohammad Amir has played in 259 T20 matches in different competitions and has a stellar record of 303 wickets.

His inclusion enhances the group’s composition of fellow citizens, including as all-rounder Shadab Khan, wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan, and T20I skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi. Over the course of his 50 T20 international appearances, the 31-year-old claimed 59 wickets, including a legendary six-wicket haul in the 2009 ICC T20 World Cup, which helped Pakistan win the tournament under Younis Khan’s guidance.

“And because he no longer plays for Pakistan, call-ups for his national team are not an issue in a world where player availability is not always guaranteed due to international commitments,” he said.

Vipers have a diverse pool of global talent.

The Desert Vipers have strengthened their team with foreign talent such as Alex Hales, Colin Munro, Dinesh Chandimal, Sheldon Cottrell, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Matheesha Pathirana, in addition to a strong group of Pakistani players. Amir’s signing is viewed as a calculated move, maybe motivated by concerns over Tom Curran’s availability for the forthcoming ILT20, where the Vipers are looking to improve on their second-place result from the first season.

The UAE-based T20 league’s second season is slated to begin on January 19 and run through February 17, with 34 games spread around Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah. The Vipers lost by seven wickets to the Gulf Giants in the 2023 championship match.