Usama Mir signs three-year T20 deal with Worcestershire

Pakistan legspinner Usama Mir's international career is set for an extended hiatus after he signed a three-year T20 deal with Worcestershire starting in 2026. While the first year of that deal will see Mir as an overseas player, he will be considered a local from 2027 onwards.

Mir, 29, is eligible for naturalisation in the UK as his spouse is a British citizen. He has not officially announced his retirement from Pakistan cricket, though. He was among the players who signed three-year contracts with the PCB after protracted negotiations in 2023 but was omitted from the central contracts list last year.

That is part of the trend that has seen Mir go down the pecking order, having last played international cricket in April 2024. His relations with the board also took a hit when he was forced to miss the T20 Blast after Worcestershire Rapids signed him up last year, with the PCB refusing the NOC.

The PCB cited what was informally called a "PSL plus two" policy, which prevented players from playing more than two foreign T20 leagues over a 12-month period. Since then, Mir has played T20 leagues in Pakistan and abroad, including last year's Hundred, the BBL, the PSL, and, most recently, the Global Super League.

ESPNcricinfo understands Mir intends to continue playing domestic cricket in Pakistan for now. While he can do so for the next two seasons, he will be required to register as an overseas player in any domestic cricket he plays in Pakistan from 2027 onwards on account of his status as a local player in the UK.

While Mir wasn't consistent across his 12 ODIs and five T20Is, he has shown flashes of his talent in the T20 leagues. He was the leading wicket-taker in PSL 2024, and one of the all-round stars in the Blast for the Rapids in 2023. His bowling figures in the last BBL season made him the most valuable legspinner in that league besides Adam Zampa.

Worcestershire CEO Ashley Giles told the club website they were "thrilled" with the deal."He's a high-calibre cricketer with the skills and temperament to make a real impact at this level," he said. "His ability to transition into a homegrown player from 2027 gives us great flexibility in squad planning and shows our commitment to building a competitive team for the long term."