The Hundred: Harry Brook says Pakistan players’ exclusion would be “a shame”
63 male and 4 female players from Pakistan registered for The Hundred auction.
In messages seen by the BBC, a senior official from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) told a representative that its interest in Pakistani players would be limited to teams not affiliated with the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Four of the eight franchises – Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds – are now at least partly owned by companies that control IPL teams.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Friday that the ECB “must act quickly” because removing players based on their nationality “should not be allowed”.
Pakistani players have not featured in the IPL since 2009 due to diplomatic tensions between Pakistan and India, and the refusal to sign players from The Hundred would follow the trend elsewhere in the franchise world.
No Pakistan players have featured in South Africa’s SA20, which starts in 2023. All six of its teams, including four currently featured in The Hundred, belong to IPL franchise groups.
In the United Arab Emirates’ ILT20, teams controlled by the owners of MI London and Southern Brave have not signed a Pakistani player for four seasons, but have recruited cricketers from 15 other nationalities.
In contrast, American-owned ILT20 team Desert Vipers signed eight Pakistani players during the same period.
Brook, who will have another busy schedule as an England multi-format player this summer, said he had already told the Sunrisers that he would not continue as captain.
“I stay away from that stuff and will let the coach and whoever is in charge control it,” he said.
In response to the BBC’s initial story, an ECB spokesman said: “The Face welcomes male and female players from all over the world and we expect all eight teams to reflect this.
“Nearly 1,000 cricketers from 18 countries registered for The Hundred auction, with more than 50 players from Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and the West Indies respectively represented in the longlist.”
Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Trent Rockets and Welsh Fire are the four Hundred teams that do not belong to IPL franchises.
