First pick overall — and the new ball belongs to him
Muhammad Amir was born on 13 April 1992 in Gujar Khan, Punjab. He is a left-arm fast bowler who bats left-handed, stands 6 ft 2 in, and played international cricket for Pakistan from 2009 to 2024, taking 271 international wickets.
Kandahar opened the draft with him, and the pick was a statement of intent. At the player draft in Dubai on 3 November 2026, the Warriors used the first pick of the whole draft on Amir in the Platinum category — and he was the only Pakistani picked among the 95 players across all five squads.
His signature night is one every cricket fan knows. In the 2017 Champions Trophy final against India, Amir took 3 for 16, removing the top order and winning Pakistan the trophy. It is the kind of big-match bowling Kandahar bought: swing with the new ball, wickets in the powerplay, and a bowler who has done it on the biggest stage there is.
Across his T20 career he has taken 440 wickets in 378 matches, a record built in leagues all over the world. He arrives in the APL as a debutant in this league — he did not play the 2018 season — and his first APL ball will be bowled in the UAE from 27 December 2026.
Muhammad Amir in numbers
The season has not started, so there are no APL 2026-27 numbers for Muhammad Amir yet. The first ball is on Sunday 27 December 2026, and his figures for this season will be added here after Match 1.
His career numbers travel with him, though: 271 international wickets for Pakistan, 440 T20 wickets in 378 matches, and that 3 for 16 in the 2017 Champions Trophy final. Kandahar did not pick him for what he might do — they picked him for what he has already done, over and over, with the new ball.
Amir’s role in a spin-heavy attack
Kandahar’s attack is built around spin — Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi through the middle — so Amir’s job is to strike before the spinners even arrive. His left-arm swing gives Ravi Bopara a different angle at the start of an innings, and Tymal Mills’ pace and Farid Ahmad Malik’s angle give him two very different partners to share the new ball with.
The balance matters because five teams chase four playoff places. Kandahar play eight league matches, two against each opponent, and early wickets in the powerplay are the cheapest way to win games in the UAE. Amir is the bowler Bopara will turn to when a partnership needs breaking in the first six overs — and, with Dwaine Pretorius covering the death, the side has a seamer for every phase.
He also brings something no other Kandahar player can: he is the only Pakistani in the entire APL 2026-27 draft pool of 95 picked players. That makes him the most-watched overseas signing in the league, and the first name opposition coaches will plan for when they face Kandahar.
His first APL ball will be bowled in the APL T20 season that starts on 27 December 2026 — and the whole league will be watching the first over.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the first pick of the APL 2026-27 draft?
Muhammad Amir, taken by Kandahar Warriors in the Platinum category. He was the first pick of the whole draft, and the only Pakistani picked among the 95 players.
What is Muhammad Amir’s best-known performance?
His 3 for 16 against India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final, which won Pakistan the trophy. He took 271 international wickets for Pakistan between 2009 and 2024.
Has Muhammad Amir played in the APL before?
No. He did not play the 2018 season, so APL 2026-27 is his APL debut. The season starts on Sunday 27 December 2026 in the UAE.