LONDON: Several Pakistani cricketers face uncertainty over participation in the upcoming season of The Hundred, England’s premier T20 competition.
Media reports say franchises linked to the Indian Premier League are reluctant to sign Pakistani players.
The Hundred, organized by the England and Wales Cricket Board, will run from July 21 to August 16. Officials expect player salaries to rise significantly this season following fresh private investment.
According to BBC Sport, a senior ECB official told an agent that interest in Pakistani players would likely come only from teams without IPL links.
IPL franchises have not signed Pakistani players since 2009 due to diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan.
Four of The Hundred’s eight franchises — Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds — are partially controlled by entities that also own stakes in IPL teams.
One agent described the situation as an “unwritten rule” across Indian-backed T20 leagues.
Last year, ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould said he expected players from all nations to be eligible for selection across teams and cited anti-discrimination policies. An ECB spokesperson reiterated that The Hundred welcomes men’s and women’s players from around the world and that all eight teams should reflect global diversity.
The ECB said nearly 1,000 cricketers from 18 countries have registered for the draft. More than 50 players from Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and the West Indies appear on the long list.
Several Pakistani male players have previously featured in The Hundred. Imad Wasim represented Northern Superchargers last season. Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, and Haris Rauf have also played in the tournament in previous editions. No Pakistani woman cricketer has yet appeared in the competition.
The trend extends beyond England. South Africa’s SA20, launched in 2023, has also not included Pakistani players, as all six franchises are linked to IPL owners.
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World Cricketers’ Association Chief Executive Tom Moffat expressed concern. He said every player deserves a fair and equal opportunity. He added that while employers control recruitment decisions, they should act in line with principles of fairness, equality and respect.
