The India-Pakistan dispute has not subsided. This is further compounded as reports are emerging that some of ‘The Hundred’ franchises are Indian-owned teams, hence Pakistani cricketers are not being considered for next month’s auction. For the upcoming season, four franchises will be owned by the IPL owners.
Pakistani players have been banned from playing in the IPL since 2009 due to tensions between the two countries. However, the reports are only at the status of rumors as nothing has been confirmed yet, as the new owners have been warned by ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould that he expects “players from all countries to be selected for all teams.”
Michael Vaughan opposes stance on anti-Pakistan sentiment
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has also expressed concern over the matter and tweeted, “ECB needs to act fast on this… They own the league and this should not be allowed to happen… The most inclusive game in the country is not the one that allows this to happen.”
The ECB needs to act fast on this.. They own the league and this should not be allowed to happen.. The most inclusive sport in the country is not one that allows this to happen.. https://t.co/IYysTSIYHt
– Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) 20 February 2026
An agent representing Pakistani cricketers told Telegraph Sport: “That’s for sure, they are doing the same around the world. Now that they are in the hundred, I don’t see any difference.
“I have personally reached out to franchises in the ILT, MLC, SA20 and now The Hundred. They would love to have Pakistanis but because of political pressure in India, they will never take the risk of going against the government. They will never accept that in writing.”
“Another agent confirmed the actual ban on Pakistani players. No one is going to officially draw that line in the sand, but we all know that for the most part Pakistani players have zero chance in Indian-owned franchises. It’s always been that way with those teams.”
Will PAK players be included in the Hundred?
Before private investors took ownership, only two Pakistani players, Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim, featured in the Hundred last year. Pakistani players are worried about Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds, who are part-owned IPL franchises, as they may take a similar move as the IPL.
Except for the Hundred, SA 20, ILT20 and MLC have IPL owners, so as of now, there has been no such action in these competitions. It is reported that BBL will also be handed over to some owners who will sell their franchises to Indian owners by next year. It will be really difficult for Pakistani players to play in the above leagues.
KKR is ready to sign players from Pakistan
New Zealand is preparing to start a new league, which will also be controlled by Indian owners. IPL and Indian based owners are trying to run a monopoly in the cricket circuit. This shows the power of the BCCI and the India-based owners who have gained so much traction from the cricket world across the world.
Indian business owners have not yet responded on this matter. However, the Knight Riders franchise group, which owns Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL and teams in the Caribbean, UAE and USA, is ready to sign players from Pakistan despite opposition from others.
Also read: Pakistani cricketers facing global ban! Complete list of leagues where Indian owners are closing their doors