Over 50 Pakistani Players Register For The Hundred As IPL-Owned Teams Plan Snub: Report
More than 50 Pakistan cricketers have officially registered for next month's first-ever auction for The Hundred, amid growing reports that franchises with Indian investment may refrain from bidding on them.
- More than 50 Pakistan players have officially registered for next month's first-ever auction for The Hundred
- This comes amid growing reports that franchises with Indian investment may refrain from bidding on them
- "It has been learned that more than 50 Pakistani players have registered for the draft," the report said
More than 50 Pakistan cricketers have officially registered for next month's first-ever auction for The Hundred, amid growing reports that franchises with Indian investment may refrain from bidding on them. Four Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises are now involved in the Hundred as part-owners or full owners: Mumbai Indians (MI London), Lucknow Super Giants (Manchester Super Giants), Sunrisers Hyderabad (Sunrisers Leeds) and Delhi Capitals (Southern Brave). It is worth mentioning that no Pakistani player has featured in the IPL since its inaugural edition due to cross-border tensions.
According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, the likes of Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, and Haris Rauf are among more than 950 players to have registered for The Hundred's draft.
"It has been learned that more than 50 Pakistani players-including Afridi, Shadab, Rauf, Saim Ayub, and Usman Tariq - have registered for next month's draft, which will be held in Piccadilly, London, on March 11 (women's) and 12 (men's)," the report said.
The report added that veteran batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have not registered for the event.
"Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are notable absentees from the longlist of nominated players, though in any case, their availability would be significantly limited by Pakistan's scheduled Test series against the West Indies in August. Pakistan's limited-overs teams are not due to play during The Hundred's window from July 21 to August 16," the report added.
For the unversed, only nine Pakistani players have featured so far in the first four seasons of The Hundred.
While there is no confirmation that IPL-backed Hundred teams are boycotting Pakistani players, the major shift in ownership dynamics has raised uncertainty.
Richard Gould, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), has previously emphasized the ECB's commitment to inclusiveness. In previous statements, he has expressed confidence and support for the selection of players from all countries.
(With IANS Inputs)
Pakistan Cricket Team
Shaheen Afridi