The Hundred: IPL-backed franchises unlikely to pick Pakistanis

The Hundred , England and Wales’ fast-paced 100-ball cricket tournament, could see Pakistani players missing out on contracts with franchises co-owned by Indian Premier League (IPL) entities in the upcoming season, scheduled from July 21 to August 16 . While player salaries are expected to rise significantly following private investment, reports suggest Pakistan cricketers are unlikely to benefit, as IPL-linked franchises may not consider them for next month’s player auction.

The IPL-linked teams in The Hundred include Manchester Super Giants and MI London (both connected to Mumbai Indians), Southern Brave (partially owned by an IPL group), and Sunrisers Leeds (formerly Northern Superchargers, linked to Sunrisers Hyderabad’s owners). A senior official from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) reportedly indicated that interest in Pakistan players would likely be limited to sides not connected to the IPL. BBC described this as an “unwritten rule” across T20 leagues with Indian investment , reflecting diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan since 2009.

Several Pakistani players, including Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan , and Haris Rauf , have previously featured in The Hundred, though no Pakistan woman cricketer has appeared in the tournament so far. Last season, Imad Wasim represented Northern Superchargers, now rechristened Sunrisers Leeds .

This pattern extends beyond The Hundred. In the SA20 league in South Africa , launched in 2023, no Pakistani player has played, with all six teams owned by IPL-linked franchise groups. Similarly, in the UAE’s ILT20 , franchises controlled by the owners of MI London and Southern Brave have not signed any Pakistani players across four seasons.

Despite these trends, the ECB maintains that The Hundred welcomes players from all nations , with nearly 1,000 cricketers from 18 countries registered for the upcoming auction. “We would expect the eight teams to reflect global participation,” said an ECB spokesperson.

Tom Moffat, CEO of the World Cricketers’ Association , emphasized that “every player should have the right to fair and equal opportunity” , urging that recruitment decisions align with principles of fairness, equality, and respect.

With the player auction scheduled for next month , fans will watch closely to see whether IPL-linked franchises continue their long-standing stance or finally provide Pakistani talent the opportunity to participate in one of cricket’s most lucrative tournaments.