Four of the eight teams in the Hundred, which is going to enter its sixth season, are owned by Indian owners who operate teams in the IPL as well.
The Report
As reported by BBC Sport, Pakistani players might not be a part of this year’s Hundred competition as four of the eight teams that feature in the tournament are owned by Indians who own teams in the IPL as well.
The Decision
The decision is speculated to have been taken following strained diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan. Having said that, Richard Gould, the chief executive officer of ECB, has denied the board arriving at any such decision as it was mutually agreed upon when the operations of four teams in the Hundred, namely Sunrisers, Leeds, Manchester Super Giants, MI London and Southern Brave were taken control of by owners of Indian origin.
What They Said
In the words of ECB chief executive Richard Gould, “I expect players from all nations to be selected for all teams,” Gould said last year. “We haven’t had any need to have any discussions at this point.”
He added, “We have got very clear anti-discrimination policies within cricket in England. If those are not adhered to, our cricket regulator will take action.”
Several Pakistani cricketers have been a part of the Hundred since its inception in 2021. Some of the names include experienced fast bowlers, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Afridi and spin bowling all-rounder Shadab Khan.
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The Scenario
However, the situation is a bit different when it comes to other franchise leagues like the SA20, International League T20 and the Major League Cricket in the United States of America.
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If we talk about South Africa’s SA20, not a single player from Pakistan has featured in this league in the four seasons it has had so far, with all six teams being owned by Indians. The situation is similar in ILT20 and the MLC as well, with Indian owners playing it safe by not picking Pakistani cricketers.
The Reaction
An agent who represents Pakistani cricketers was quoted as saying by Telegraph Sport, “It’s a given, they have been doing the same all around the world. Now that they are in the Hundred, I don’t see any different.”
He further said, “I’ve personally reached out to franchises in ILT20, MLC, SA20 and now the Hundred. They would love to have Pakistanis but due to political pressure back in India, they will never risk going against the government. They will never admit in writing.”
The History
Pakistani players haven’t been a part of the IPL since 2009, a move that has been implemented in other leagues as well, with people calling it a de facto ban.
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