The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has written an email to all The Hundred franchises imploring them to pick players in the auction based on merit and not nationality. This comes after reports suggested that franchises linked to the IPL will not be considering Pakistan players while 63 of them (both men and women) have registered for the auction. The ECB has said that a player should not be denied a spot in The Hundred due to his or her nationality.
ECB implores The Hundred teams to pick Pakistan players
As per Cricbuzz, the ECB sent a mail to all the Hundred franchises a couple of days ago. The mail states that it is within the powers of the board to investigate should it be reported that a player hasn’t been picked owing to his nationality. However, it is pertinent to point out that not a single women cricketer from Pakistan has been a part of The Hundred thus far while only two Pakistan men’s cricketers have been a part of the tournament.
“Player selection must always be based on cricketing rationale, availability and team performance strategy/needs. No one should be denied a place in The Hundred because of their nationality, and it is within the powers of the Cricket Regulator to investigate should it receive any evidence of a team adopting a policy of excluding players based on nationality. Our competition will thrive when the best available talent – domestic and international – is given the opportunity to perform, inspire, and elevate the standard of the tournament,” the ECB letter states
63 Pakistan cricketers, including males and females, have registered for The Hundred 2026 auction. Most of the members who are a part of the T20 World Cup 2026 team have thrown their hats into the ring in a bid to find a spot in any of the franchises. A BBC report suggested that four Indian Premier League (IPL)-linked franchises, MI London (Reliance Industries), Manchester Super Giants (RPSG Group), Southern Brave (GMR Group), and Sunrisers Leeds (Sun TV), won’t bid for any Pakistani cricketers.
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