LONDON (Kashmir English): Concerns are growing within English cricket circles that Indian political tensions are beginning to cast a shadow over The Hundred, England’s flagship domestic tournament, amid fears that players from Pakistan could be sidelined by franchises with links to the Indian Premier League.
According to the British broadcasting Coorperation (BBC), only those who do not own an IPL franchise can pick Pakistani cricketers in The Hundred. According to the BBC, a key official of the English board has informed a player agent in this regard.
The BBC report says that an official of the English Cricket Board told the agent that teams owned by IPL teams can stay away from Pakistani players.
It should be noted that 4 out of 8 teams in England’s domestic tournament, The Hundred, are 49% owned by IPL teams.
Indian investment has come in Manchester Supergiants, MI London, Sunrisers Leeds, and Southern Brewers. According to the BBC, an agent complained that it has become an unspoken rule for Indian-owned teams not to sign Pakistani players.
This trend has also been seen in South Africa’s SAT Twenty20 and the UAE’s ILT Twenty20. This year’s The Hundred players’ auction will be held on March 11 and 12. Several players, including Pakistan’s Haris Rauf, will be included in the auction.
The Hundred
The Hundred, launched in 2021 by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), was designed to modernize English cricket and attract new audiences with its 100-ball format. The competition has drawn international stars and significant private investment, but its evolving commercial model has also prompted debate about outside influence.
