After two Pakistan players went unsold in the women’s Hundred auction on Wednesday, coaches of the teams with investment from Indian Premier League franchises said they have not been directed to sign Pakistan players.
On Thursday, the men’s auction for The Hundred will happen where 17 Pakistan players are in the pool including pacers Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi and spinner Usman Tariq.
According to media reports in February, four franchises with link to IPL would not pick players from Pakistan due to geo-political tensions between India and Pakistan.
With former England players voicing concern over the issue forced the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and all eight franchises to release a joint statement saying “players must not be excluded on the grounds of nationality”.
Sunrisers’ global network has teams in the IPL (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Hundred side is called Sunrisers Leeds while Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 – all have links to IPL ownership but none of the three teams have ever picked a Pakistan player.
However, Adi Birrell, head coach of Sunrisers Leeds women and Sunrisers Eastern Cape men, said he had never been told not to sign a Pakistan player.
“No, I haven’t,” he told BBC Sport. “I’m sure there will be some interest in some players tomorrow.”
When asked if there would be any bid for Pakistan players from teams with IPL links, he said: “I think so, but I don’t know. I presume so. I haven’t heard that they won’t bid for them.”
Sunrisers Leeds and Southern Brave are two teams in The Hundred to be owned outright by an IPL franchise. The part owners of Delhi Capitals, own the Southern Brave.
Brave women’s head coach Jonathan Batty said she has not been directed to pick Pakistan players. “The only thing I’ve been told is ‘sign the best players to make this the best squad you possibly can’.
“We’ve had no other instructions than that and we’ve had total autonomy on who we sign. That’s how it’s been with the women’s team.”
