The upcoming auction for The Hundred has sparked debate following reports in the British media that four Indian franchises could avoid signing Pakistani cricketers. Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan on Tuesday distanced himself from the speculation, saying the players have no control over the franchise decisions and remain ready to play if given the opportunity.
Speaking ahead of Pakistan’s World Cup T20 Super Eight match against England, Farhan said the selection process depends entirely on the team management. “You see, it is not in our hands to decide who will pick us or not. That is not in our hands. Wherever we get a chance, whoever is interested can pick us and we are ready to play in that league,” he said.
When asked about reports suggesting that Pakistani players could be overlooked by teams with links to the Indian Premier League, Farhan refused to engage the premise. “And we’re not interested in playing with people – the way you talked,” he added.
The news covered four hundred franchisesnamely Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds, all owned by Indian business groups. While neither franchise has issued an official statement, speculation has once again focused on the wider absence of Pakistani players in IPL-owned competitions.
No Pakistani cricketer has featured in the IPL since the inaugural season in 2008. This pattern has continued in other IPL-affiliated tournaments such as the SA20 and ILT20, where the franchises are also controlled by the IPL owners.
England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould has previously said he expects “players from all nations to be selected in all teams” in The Hundred, stressing that “clear anti-discrimination policies” are in place.
Pakistani players have featured in earlier editions of the competition. Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim played last season while Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf were involved in previous campaigns.
Tournament organizers have confirmed that 67 cricketers from Pakistan have registered for this year’s auction, including most of the men’s T20 World Cup squad.
England captain Harry Brook said this last week that it would be unfortunate if the Pakistani players were absent from the tournament. “There are some amazing cricketers and they bring great crowds as well. So it would be a shame not to see some of the Pakistani players there and make the tournament and the competition even better,” said Brook.
The upcoming season of The Hundred is scheduled to run from July 21 to August 16, with the player auction set to take place in March.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
February 23, 2026
