England white-ball captain Harry Brook says it would be “a shame” if Pakistan players were overlooked for this year’s edition of The Hundred.
The BBC reported earlier this week that the four Indian-owned teams in the competition – Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds – would not consider signing Pakistan players during March’s auction.
Political tensions between India and Pakistan mean no Pakistan players have appeared in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, while few have also played in other franchise leagues with Indian owners.
Speaking ahead of England’s T20 World Cup Super 8s game against Sri Lanka on Sunday, Brook – who will play for Sunrisers Leeds this summer but not captain them – said: “Pakistan have been a great cricket nation for many years.
“I think there’s about 50 or 60 plyers in the auction and it would be a shame to not see some of them in there. There’s some amazing cricketers and they bring some great crowds as well.
“It would be a shame to not see some of the Pakistan players in there and make this tournament and competition even better.”
Sixty-seven Pakistan players – 63 men and four women – have signed up for March’s Hundred auction
ECB: The Hundred welcomes men’s and women’s players from all over the world
The BBC said it had seen a message where a senior ECB official suggested only the non-IPL-affiliated franchises – Welsh Fire, London Spirit, Birmingham Phoenix and Trent Rockets – would entertain purchasing cricketers from Pakistan.
However, an ECB spokesperson said: “The Hundred welcomes men’s and women’s players from all over the world and we would expect the eight teams to reflect that.”
Former England captain Michael Vaughan urged the ECB to “act fast” and ensure The Hundred remains open to all.
He wrote on social media platform X: “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.”
Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Saim Ayub, Haris Rauf and Usman Tariq are among the 67 Pakistan players – 63 men, four women – to have registered for the auction in London, with the men’s event to take place on March 12, a day after the women’s.
No Pakistan women’s player has appeared in The Hundred across its first five seasons.
