Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim Join Northern Superchargers as Hundred Replacements

Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim have signed with the Northern Superchargers as late replacements for the 2025 edition of The Hundred, becoming the first Pakistani players to feature in this year’s tournament following concerns over their exclusion from March’s draft.

Their signings help ease speculation that Pakistani players were being sidelined due to the involvement of Indian and Indian-American investors in the revamped competition. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had earlier dismissed those fears, insisting that ownership changes would not influence selection decisions.

Amir and Imad join the Superchargers to replace Ben Dwarshuis (full season) and Mitchell Santner (two games), who are unavailable due to international commitments. The franchise, soon to be under the operational control of Indian media conglomerate Sun Group, becomes the first team this season to sign Pakistani cricketers.

Their inclusion comes after Pakistan’s absence from the draft earlier this year raised eyebrows. No Pakistani men's players were picked, a stark contrast to previous seasons. While this initially sparked controversy, the snub may have been influenced by player availability due to Pakistan's tour of the West Indies and a tri-series in the UAE, as well as a decline in T20I performances and last-minute withdrawals by key players like Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah in 2024.

The Superchargers will also benefit from the presence of Ben Stokes, who, while not playing due to a shoulder injury, will take on a mentoring role. Stokes opted out of the competition earlier this year following hamstring surgery but will now support head coach Andrew Flintoff and fellow England star Harry Brook during his rehabilitation.

“You will see me knocking about the Hundred, not in a playing way,” Stokes said. “I had to make a decision in January… I said I’d still like to be a part of it, so I will be milling about. I won’t have a notebook and pen, but I’ll be giving my time to the team.”

Elsewhere in The Hundred, several other replacement signings have been made ahead of the competition's curtain-raiser. London Spirit have brought in veteran wicketkeeper John Simpson and Glamorgan allrounder Dan Douthwaite to cover for Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith. Manchester Originals have secured New Zealand-born Mark Chapman and young spinner Farhan Ahmed, while West Indies allrounder Akeal Hosein will temporarily replace George Linde at Trent Rockets.

Full List of The Hundred Replacements:

London Spirit:
- John Simpson, Dan Douthwaite – replacing Jamie Smith and Ollie Pope (August 5)
Manchester Originals:
- Mark Chapman – replacing Rachin Ravindra (August 6–13)
- Farhan Ahmed – replacing Marchant de Lange (full season)
- Amuruthaa Surenkumar – replacing Ella McCaughan
Northern Superchargers:
- Imad Wasim – replacing Mitchell Santner (August 7–10)
- Mohammad Amir – replacing Ben Dwarshuis (full season)
Trent Rockets:
- Akeal Hosein – replacing George Linde (August 10–14)