{"id":13458,"date":"2026-02-25T14:57:53","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T14:57:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=13458"},"modified":"2026-02-25T14:57:53","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T14:57:53","slug":"pakistani-players-in-the-hundred-whats-the-cricket-controversy-all-about-cricket-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=13458","title":{"rendered":"Pakistani players in the Hundred: What\u2019s the cricket controversy all about? | Cricket News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p><span class=\"post-label__text\">EXPLAINER<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"article__subhead\"><em>Breaking down the row involving Pakistani cricketers\u2019 presence in a franchise league in which Indian businesses own teams.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><button class=\"article-listen-container\" aria-labelledby=\"listen-text listen-duration\" data-testid=\"listen-to-article-button\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-listen-container__text\" data-testid=\"listen-to-article-text\">Listen to this article<\/span><span aria-hidden=\"true\">\u00a0|\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"article-listen-container__duration\">4 mins<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/button><button tabindex=\"0\" class=\"tooltip-accessible_trigger\"><svg class=\"icon icon--info icon--main-grey-dark icon--16 listen-to-article-tooltip__icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\"><title>info<\/title><path class=\"icon-main-color\" d=\"M12 0a12 12 0 1 0 0 24 12 12 0 0 0 0-24Zm-.226 3.225a2.039 2.039 0 0 1 2.155 1.924v.193a1.998 1.998 0 0 1-2.155 2.149 2.029 2.029 0 0 1-2.146-2.15 2.039 2.039 0 0 1 1.955-2.122h.193l-.002.006Zm3.227 15.525a.75.75 0 0 1-.752.75H9.75a.75.75 0 0 1-.75-.75v-1.5a.75.75 0 0 1 .752-.75h.748V12h-.75a.75.75 0 0 1-.75-.75v-1.5a.75.75 0 0 1 .752-.751h3a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.752v6.75h.75a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.749L15 18.75Z\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<div aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\">\n<p>A franchise cricket tournament in the United Kingdom has been the subject of controversy surrounding the selection of Pakistani players for teams partially owned by Indian businesses.<\/p>\n<p>Four of the eight teams in the Hundred \u2013 a professional franchise cricket league organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) \u2013 are part-owned by businesses that own franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL).<\/p>\n<section class=\"more-on\">\n<h2 class=\"more-on__heading\">Recommended Stories<!-- --> <\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list of 3 items<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">end of list<\/span><\/section>\n<p>Various media reports last week said Pakistani cricketers will not be considered by these four teams when players are drafted by the franchises in an auction in March.<\/p>\n<p>It caused an uproar in the cricket world with current and former players slamming the reported decision and urging the ECB to ensure impartiality in the auctioning process.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a breakdown of the row:<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-did-reports-say-about-the-exclusion-of-pakistani-players\">What did reports say about the exclusion of Pakistani players?<\/h2>\n<p>A sports agent was, according to the BBC, informed by an official of the ECB that Pakistani players on his list of cricketers looking to sign up for the Hundred would not be considered by teams linked to the IPL.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnother agent described the situation as \u2018an unwritten rule\u2019 across T20 leagues with Indian investment,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-has-the-ecb-said-about-pakistani-players-inclusion\">What has the ECB said about Pakistani players\u2019 inclusion?<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cThe England and Wales Cricket Board and all eight of The Hundred team franchises reaffirm their commitment to ensuring The Hundred continues to be a competition that is inclusive, welcoming and open to all,\u201d the ECB said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecb.co.uk\/about\/media?_gl=1*3u9q8i*_up*MQ..*_ga*ODQzMzI0MjkzLjE3NzIwMjUzMzg.*_ga_RB2BVD5EKH*czE3NzIwMjUzMzckbzEkZzAkdDE3NzIwMjUzMzckajYwJGwwJGgw*_ga_E3D3L0MGDX*czE3NzIwMjUzMzckbzEkZzAkdDE3NzIwMjUzMzckajYwJGwwJGgw#\/pressreleases\/joint-statement-by-ecb-and-the-hundred-teams-ensuring-the-hundred-is-inclusive-welcoming-and-open-to-all-3434258\">statement<\/a> on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll eight teams commit to selection being based solely on cricketing performance, availability, and the needs of each team.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Hundred was established to reach new audiences, grow the game of cricket and ensure that everyone \u2013 regardless of their ethnicity, gender, faith, nationality or other \u2013 can feel they belong in our sport. This has been a guiding principle from the outset and remains at the heart of everything we do,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n<p>The ECB said there were regulations to take \u201crobust action\u201d against discrimination.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPlayers must not be excluded on the grounds of their nationality,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-have-pakistani-players-said\">What have Pakistani players said?<\/h2>\n<p>Pakistani batter Sahibzada Farhan said player selection was up to the franchises but he was hopeful of being picked after registering his interest in the league.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is not in our hands who picks us or who doesn\u2019t,\u201d Farhan, who is the leading run scorer at the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup, said on Monday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWherever we get an opportunity and whoever is interested can pick us. We\u2019re ready to play that league.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am hopeful of being picked up. Everyone wants to play the best leagues. The Hundred is one of the best leagues. Let\u2019s hope for the best.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Farhan has scored a T20 century in the tournament and is third in the ICC\u2019s men\u2019s T20 batting rankings.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-many-pakistani-players-have-signed-up-for-the-hundred-auction\">How many Pakistani players have signed up for the Hundred auction?<\/h2>\n<p>Fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf are among the 67 Pakistani players to have signed up for next month\u2019s auction.<\/p>\n<p>Farhan, Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub are also on the list.<\/p>\n<p>Pakistan women\u2019s captain Fatima Sana as well as top-ranked women\u2019s T20 bowler Sadia Iqbal, all-rounder Diana Baig and wicketkeeper-batter Muneeba Ali have signed up for the women\u2019s auction.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"have-pakistanis-played-in-the-hundred-in-the-past\">Have Pakistanis played in the Hundred in the past?<\/h2>\n<p>Last year\u2019s Hundred had two Pakistani players \u2013 Mohammed Amir and Imad Wasim \u2013 but several others, including Afridi, have played in the tournament in the past.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"which-franchises-are-owned-by-indian-businesses\">Which franchises are owned by Indian businesses?<\/h2>\n<p>The ECB has full ownership of the competition and its regulations, but last year, it sold stakes in the league to investors from India and the United States to generate hundreds of millions of pounds to safeguard the financially stricken domestic game in England.<\/p>\n<p>Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds are co-owned by Indian businesses that also own teams in the IPL.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"when-is-the-hundred-s-auction-and-how-can-i-follow-it\">When is the Hundred\u2019s auction, and how can I follow it?<\/h2>\n<p>The women\u2019s auction will take place on March 11, and the men\u2019s will be held a day later.<\/p>\n<p>It will be covered live on the league\u2019s website.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>EXPLAINER Breaking down the row involving Pakistani cricketers\u2019 presence in a franchise league in which Indian businesses own teams. Listen to this article\u00a0|\u00a04 mins info A franchise cricket tournament in the United Kingdom has been the subject of controversy surrounding the selection of Pakistani players for teams partially owned by Indian businesses. Four of the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13459,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asia-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13458","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13458"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13458\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}