The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the Hundred, a professional franchise cricket league, is inclusive and open to all players, following controversy surrounding the selection of Pakistani players for teams partially owned by Indian businesses.
A sports agent was informed by an ECB official that Pakistani players would not be considered by teams linked to the Indian Premier League (IPL), according to a report by the BBC. Another agent described the situation as an 'unwritten rule' across T20 leagues with Indian investment.
The ECB stated that all eight teams in the Hundred commit to selection being based solely on cricketing performance, availability, and the needs of each team. The board also emphasized that players must not be excluded on the grounds of their nationality.
Pakistani batter Sahibzada Farhan, who is the leading run scorer at the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup, expressed his hope of being picked after registering his interest in the league. 'This is not in our hands who picks us or who doesn’t,' Farhan said. 'Wherever we get an opportunity and whoever is interested can pick us. We’re ready to play that league.'
Fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf are among the 67 Pakistani players to have signed up for next month’s auction. The women’s auction will take place on March 11, and the men’s will be held a day later, covered live on the league’s website.
League Background
The Hundred was established to reach new audiences, grow the game of cricket, and ensure that everyone can feel they belong in the sport. The ECB has full ownership of the competition and its regulations, but last year, it sold stakes in the league to investors from India and the United States to generate hundreds of millions of pounds.
Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave, and Sunrisers Leeds are co-owned by Indian businesses that also own teams in the IPL. The ECB has regulations to take 'robust action' against discrimination, and the board has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the Hundred is a competition that is inclusive, welcoming, and open to all.
Source: Al Jazeera
