Pakistan’s cricket officials are planning to approach the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after reports suggested that players from Pakistan could be ignored by Indian-owned teams in The Hundred. The authorities want assurances that all Pakistani players will be given equal and fair consideration at the auction.
According to a report by the BBC, Pakistan players are being ignored by the four Indian-owned franchises in the upcoming The Hundred auction.
Out of the eight teams in the competition, London Spirit (owned by US-based tech investors), MI Oval (Reliance Industries), Manchester SuperGiants (RPSG Group), Southern Brave (GMR Group), SunRisers Leeds (Sun TV) and Welsh Fire (US-based Sanjay Govil) are co-owned by companies that also run IPL teams.
Your daily dose of cricket!
Pakistan Cricket Board Set to Approach ECB Over Fair Treatment in The Hundred Auction
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials are set to contact the ECB ahead of The Hundred player auction, according to a report by Telecom Asia Sport. The PCB wants assurances that Pakistan players will receive fair treatment during the auction.
Notably, the communication is expected to be sent by Salman Naseer, adding that any bias would conflict with the ECB’s stated commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunities for Asian players.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board, through Salman Naseer, is due to write to the ECB asking them to ensure Pakistani players are not treated unfairly,” sources told Telecom Asia Sport.
“Any bias would go against the ECB’s commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity for Asian players.”
ECB Under Watch as The Hundred Auction Approaches
The report said that England and Pakistan share a strong cricketing relationship. Northern Superchargers signed Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir last season of the 100-ball tournament.
Players from Pakistan’s men’s and women’s teams have registered for the auction. A total of 63 players have signed up out of 964 overall. Like the IPL, franchises will submit a list of preferred players to the ECB, which will then be reduced to around 200 names.
The issue has also sparked discussion within England’s cricket community. Pakistan see it as a question of fairness and the values of The Hundred, not just team selection. With the auction close, attention is now on the England and Wales Cricket Board and whether it will step in.
ECB Cannot Force Franchise Selections in the Hundred Auction
According to the BBC, the ECB cannot force franchises to pick certain players, and any accusation of discrimination must be backed by clear evidence, not assumptions.
Pakistani cricketers have not played in the IPL since 2009 because of political tensions, and there is little chance of that changing soon. Similar patterns have started to appear in other leagues as well.
Pakistan players have not featured in South Africa’s SA20, where all teams are owned by IPL franchises. Their presence has also been limited in the UAE’s ILT20, except for the one team that is not owned by an IPL-linked group.
Also read: Shadab Khan called ‘chor’, faces vicious personal attacks after slamming ex-Pakistan cricketers
