Pakistan cricket officials are planning to approach the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after reports suggest that Pakistan players could be ignored by Indian-owned teams in The Hundred. Officials want assurance that all Pakistani players will be given equal and fair consideration in the auction.
According to a BBC report, Pakistani players are being ignored by four Indian-owned franchises in the upcoming The Hundred auction.
Of the eight teams in the competition London Spirit (owned by US-based tech investors), MI Oval (Reliance Industries), Manchester Supergiants (RPSG Group), Southern Brave (GMR Group), Sunrisers Leeds (Sun TV) and Welsh Fire (US-based Sanjay Govil). Co-owned by the companies that also run IPL teams.
Pakistan Cricket Board ready to approach ECB for fair treatment in The Hundred auction
According to a report by Telecom Asia Sport, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials are ready to approach the ECB ahead of the auction of The Hundred players. The PCB wants assurances that Pakistani players will be treated fairly during the auction.
In particular, the communication is expected to be sent by Salman Nasir, stating that any bias would conflict with the ECB’s stated commitment towards inclusivity and equal opportunities for Asian players.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board, through Salman Naseer, will write to the ECB asking them to ensure that Pakistani players are not treated unfairly,” sources told Telecom Asia Sport.
“Any bias would be against the ECB’s commitment to inclusivity and level playing field for Asian players.”
ECB keeping an eye on The Hundred auction as it approaches
The report said that England and Pakistan have strong cricketing relations. Northern Superchargers signed Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir in the last season of the 100-ball tournament.
Players of Pakistan men’s and women’s teams have registered for the auction. Overall, 63 players out of 964 have signed up. Like the IPL, franchises will submit a list of preferred players to the ECB, which will then be reduced to around 200 names.
This issue has also sparked discussion in the cricket community of England. Pakistan sees it not only as a question of team selection but also as a question of fairness and values of The Hundred. With the auction coming to a close, the focus is now on the England and Wales Cricket Board and whether he will step in.
ECB cannot force franchise selection in Hundred auction
According to the BBC, the ECB cannot force franchises to select certain players, and any allegations of discrimination must be supported by clear evidence, not assumptions.
Pakistani cricketers have not played in the IPL since 2009 due to political tensions and that is unlikely to change any time soon. Similar patterns are beginning to appear in other leagues as well.
Pakistan players have not participated in South Africa’s SA20, where all teams are owned by IPL franchises. Their presence in the UAE ILT20 has also been limited, except for one team that is not owned by an IPL-affiliated group.
Also read: Shadab Khan called a ‘thief’, faces serious personal attacks after criticism from former Pakistani cricketers
