IPL-linked The Hundred franchises to not 'consider' Pakistan players: report
Senior ECB official indicated that interest in Pakistan players will remain limited to franchises not owned by IPL, report says
KARACHI: The Hundred franchises, partially owned by investors linked with the Indian Premier League (IPL), are set to overlook Pakistan players at next month's auction, English media reported on Thursday.
According to a report by a renowned English news outlet, a senior England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) official told an agent that interest in Pakistan players would be limited to the franchises not owned by the companies controlling the IPL teams.
The report further suggested that another agent described the practice as an "unwritten rule" across franchise leagues with IPL-linked investments.
Notably, a total of four The Hundred franchises – Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds – are partially owned by IPL investors after the ECB sold its stakes in each of the teams last year to raise £500m in private investment.
The development contradicts ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould's remarks last year, in which he had assured that Pakistani cricketers would not face restrictions in The Hundred due to IPL influence.
"We are aware of the challenges Pakistani players face in other regions, but that won't be happening here," Gould had stated, confirming the ECB's stance on maintaining inclusivity.
For the unversed, Pakistan cricketers have not featured in the cash-rich league since its inaugural edition in 2008, and their participation has also been negligible in South Africa's SA20, UAE's ILT20 and USA's Major League Cricket (MLC) due to IPL affiliation.
They were, however, regular in England's The Hundred, with Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim featuring in last year's tournament, which was the final season before the new investors took over.
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