Pakistan cricketers may struggle to find buyers in next month’s The Hundred auction, especially from teams that are connected to Indian Premier League (IPL) owners.
When will the new The Hundred season start?
The new season of The Hundred will run from July 21 to August 16. Player salaries are set to rise this year after private investors put more money into the competition.
Pakistani players to be snubbed from The Hundred
However, a BBC report says that four teams, Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds, are not expected to sign players from Pakistan. These teams are linked to IPL ownership groups.
According to the report by BBC, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) informed player agents that Pakistani players are likely to attract interest only from the four teams that do not have IPL connections.
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ECB on the development
Some agents described this situation as an “unwritten rule” in leagues that involve Indian investors.
An ECB spokesperson told the BBC that The Hundred welcomes players from around the world and expects all eight teams to reflect that diversity.
“The Hundred welcomes men’s and women’s players from all over the world, and we would expect the eight teams to reflect that," an ECB spokesperson was quoted as saying by the BBC.
Nearly 1,000 players from 18 countries have signed up for the auction. The longlist includes more than 50 players each from Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and the West Indies.
“Almost 1,000 cricketers from 18 nations have registered for The Hundred auction, with representation on the longlist of over 50 players respectively from Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and West Indies."
Pakistan players have not taken part in the IPL since 2009 because of political tensions between India and Pakistan. Similar issues now seem to be affecting other leagues as well.
In the past, Pakistani players like Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi and Shadab Khan have played in The Hundred. However, no Pakistani women cricketers have featured in the women’s competition so far.