Four franchises in The Hundred part-owned by Indian Premier League groups are reportedly excluding Pakistan players from consideration ahead of next month’s auction. Despite England and Wales Cricket Board assurances of strict anti-discrimination policies, sources indicate that Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave, and Sunrisers Leeds will bypass the 67 registered Pakistanis during the March 11-12 draft.
The alleged exclusion follows a long-standing diplomatic freeze that has kept Pakistan cricketers out of the IPL since 2009. Agents and officials now warn that this "unwritten rule" has migrated to the English game following the ECB’s £500m private investment sale last year, which handed significant control to Indian ownership groups.
While the ECB insists the competition remains open to all, internal communications seen by the BBC suggest a different reality. A senior ECB official reportedly signaled to an agent that interest in Pakistan players would be restricted to the four franchises not linked to the IPL: Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Trent Rockets, and Welsh Fire.
This pattern mirrors other global T20 leagues. In South Africa’s SA20, where IPL groups own every team, no Pakistan players have featured since its 2023 launch. Similarly, in the UAE’s ILT20, Indian-owned sides have ignored Pakistan talent while American-owned rivals, like the Desert Vipers, have signed eight Pakistanis over the same period.
The ECB’s decision to sell 49% stakes in its eight franchises raised £500m but introduced a complex geopolitical dynamic. Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave, and Sunrisers Leeds (formerly Northern Superchargers) are now at least partially controlled by entities that must navigate the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and its firm stance on Pakistan relations.
The allegations have sparked a fierce backlash from former captains and current players. Michael Vaughan urged the ECB to "act fast," arguing that allowing nationality-based omissions would make a "mockery" of the board’s claim to be the most inclusive sport in the country.
If India can play Pakistan in a World Cup match, then surely Indian owners can pick Pakistan players in a foreign league, If this informal ban happens, then we know who really runs the competition.
Michael Vaughan
England’s limited-overs captain Harry Brook, who recently signed a record £465,000 deal with Sunrisers Leeds, echoed the sentiment. Speaking from the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka, Brook called the potential exclusion a "shame," noting that Pakistan boasts "some of the best players in the world."
Pool: 63 men and 4 women from Pakistan have registered for the 2026 auction.
Star power: Former participants include Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan.
Demographics: 12% of Greater Manchester and 4% of Leeds identify as Pakistani, highlighting a significant local fan base for the newly invested teams.
Conflict: No Pakistan players have appeared in the IPL for 17 years due to diplomatic tensions.
The ECB maintains that its independent regulator, established following the 2023 Equity in Cricket report, will monitor the game for widespread discrimination. However, critics argue the true test of the ECB's authority arrives on March 11.
The County Cricket Members' Group has already called for boards to hold private partners accountable if a "blanket decision" based on nationality becomes evident. If the four Indian-linked franchises fail to bid on high-ranked stars like Shaheen Afridi, who has previously excelled in the tournament, the ECB will face intensifying pressure to explain how private investment aligns with its South Asian Action Plan.
