With reports emerging that Pakistan players are unlikely to be picked for this year’s auction of The Hundred, by franchises linked to the Indian Premier League. Former England captain Michael Vaughan has urged the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to act fast and protect the most inclusive sport of the country.
A report in the BBC on Thursday said that “a senior official from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) indicated to an agent that interest in his Pakistan players would be limited to sides not linked to the IPL.”
This year’s The Hundred is scheduled to begin from July 21 to August 16 with the player auction taking place next month. The report also mentioned that the player earnings would rise significantly because of private investment but the Pakistan players are expected to miss out. IPL-owned franchises have not Pakistan players since 2009 because of political tensions between India and Pakistan.
“Another agent described the situation as ‘an unwritten rule’ across T20 leagues with Indian investment,” the report added.
“The ECB need to act fast on this .. they own the league and this should not be allowed to happen .. the most inclusive sport in the country is not one that allows this to happen ..” Vaughan wrote on X.
Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Tariq are some of the big names among 63 Pakistan players who have reportedly registered for The Hundred auction.
Ahead of England’s first Super Eight game against Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup 2026, Harry Brook too batted for Pakistan players inclusion in The hundred and added it would be a shame if they are not added.
“Pakistan have been a great cricket nation for many years. I think there’s about 50, 60 players in the auction, and it would be a shame not to see some of them in there,” Brook said in the pre-match press conference on Saturday.
“There’s some amazing cricketers, and they bring some great crowds as well. It would be a shame not to see some of the Pakistan players in there and make this tournament and competition even better,” he added.
MI London, Manchester Super Giants, Southern Brave and SunRisers Leeds are the four teams in The Hundred, which are either fully or partly owned by groups that operate IPL franchises.
