The England and Wales Cricket Board has clarified on reports claiming that Indian-affiliated franchises will avoid selecting Pakistani players in The Hundred. The ECB along with all eight teams said that nationality will not be a factor in the upcoming auction and the selection will be based solely on performance.
Earlier, BBC had reported that the four Indian-owned franchises in the competition were unlikely to consider Pakistani players in the auction. Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds may avoid players from Pakistan due to the ongoing tension between the two neighboring countries.
ECB directs 100 franchises to select players on merit rather than nationality
Amid speculation, the ECB said that no player could be excluded from The Hundred because of nationality. The board also said that there is no place for discrimination in competition, with strict rules in place to deal with any such behaviour.
An ECB statement said, “The Hundred was founded to reach new audiences, grow the game of cricket and ensure that everyone – no matter their ethnicity, gender, faith, nationality or otherwise – can feel they belong to our game. This has been a guiding principle from the beginning and remains at the heart of everything we do.”
“As the governing body responsible for running the tournament, the ECB is committed to ensuring that there is no room for discrimination, and it has rules in place to take strong action to deal with any such conduct. Players should not be excluded on the basis of their nationality.”
“MI London is committed to ensuring The Hundred is a competition that is inclusive, welcoming and open to all”
The ECB said that all eight teams in The Hundred will select players on the basis of cricket performance, availability and team needs. The board said The Hundred aims to showcase the best global talent and remain a model tournament for inclusivity.
“All eight teams are committed to making selections based solely on cricket performance, availability and the needs of each team,” the statement said.
“It reflects the ECB’s wider commitment to making cricket the most inclusive game possible, creating opportunities, breaking down barriers and ensuring players from all backgrounds have a fair and equal route to the top of the game.”
“We want The Hundred to showcase the best talent from around the world, and will continue to work actively to ensure the competition is a benchmark for inclusivity.”
“MI London is committed to ensuring The Hundred is a competition that is inclusive, welcoming and open to all,” MI London said in an official statement.
MI London is committed to ensuring that The Hundred is a competition that is inclusive, welcoming and open to all.
Players should not be excluded on the basis of their nationality.
Along with the other seven teams, we are committed to making the selection purely based on cricket… pic.twitter.com/oOZgJJX3cA
– MI London (@MILondonCricket) 24 February 2026
67 Pakistani cricketers registered for The Hundred auction in London
A total of 67 Pakistani cricketers have registered for The Hundred auction to be held on March 11-12 in London. 63 men and four women have registered, including names like Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah.
In the 2025 season, Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim were the only Pakistani players to feature in the competition. That edition was also the last before the tournament was revamped by private investment.
Of the eight teams, London Spirit, Birmingham Phoenix, Trent Rockets and Welsh Fire are the four franchises that do not have any affiliation with the Indian Premier League.
Players from Pakistan have been largely absent from the Indian Premier League since 2009, with only a few featuring in other Indian-owned franchise leagues.
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