The Hundred: Harry Brook says excluding Pakistani players would be a ‘disgrace’

Sixty-three male and four female players from Pakistan have registered for The Hundred auction.

In letters seen by the BBC, a senior official from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) indicated to an agent that interest in its Pakistani players would be limited to teams not associated with the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Four of the eight teams – Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds – are now at least partly owned by the companies that control the IPL teams.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Friday that the European Central Bank “needs to act quickly” because the exclusion of players on the basis of their nationality “should not be allowed to happen”.

Players from Pakistan have not featured in the Indian Premier League since 2009 due to diplomatic tensions between Pakistan and India, and a refusal to sign players for The Hundred would follow the trend elsewhere in the franchise world.

No Pakistani player has featured in South Africa’s SA20, which was launched in 2023. All six of its teams are owned by IPL franchises – including the four teams now participating in The Hundred.

In the UAE ILT20, the franchises controlled by owners MI London and Southern Brave have not signed a Pakistani player for four seasons, but have recruited cricketers from 15 other nationalities.

In contrast, US ILT20-owned Desert Vipers signed eight Pakistani players during the same period.

Brook, who will have another busy schedule this summer as an England all-rounder, said he has already told Sunrisers he will not continue as captain.

“I will stay away from those things and let the coach and whoever is in charge control that,” he said.

In response to the BBC’s initial story, an ECB spokesperson said: “The 100 welcomes men’s and women’s players from all over the world, and we expect the eight teams to reflect that.

“Nearly 1,000 cricketers from 18 countries have registered for The Hundred auction, with representation on the long list of over 50 players respectively from Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and the West Indies.”

Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Trent Rockets and Welsh Fire are the 400 teams not owned by IPL franchises.