Written by Matt Brown
📸 - @bbcsport
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), alongside the eight competing franchises, has issued a formal statement regarding player selection for the upcoming season of The Hundred.
The statement follows reports by the BBC suggesting that the four Indian-owned franchises—Manchester Originals (associated with Lucknow Super Giants), MI London, Southern Brave, and Sunrisers Leeds—might avoid selecting Pakistani players due to escalating political tensions between the two nations.
A total of 67 Pakistani players (63 men and 4 women) have registered for the draft, which is scheduled for March. In response to the speculation, the ECB reminded all eight teams of their obligations regarding anti-discrimination, reaffirming that The Hundred is designed to be an inclusive competition for all.
Commitment to Merit
The franchises have collectively committed to a selection process based strictly on:
Availability
Cricketing performance
The specific needs of the squad
The ECB emphasized its desire for the competition to showcase the best global talent, a sentiment echoed by fans who simply want to see the world’s elite cricketers in action. As a sport that prides itself on inclusivity, cricket aims to ensure The Hundred remains a welcoming environment for players of all backgrounds.
Context and Ownership
The controversy stems from the long-standing situation in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where a blanket ban on Pakistani nationals has been effectively in place since 2009. While four teams in The Hundred now have Indian ownership, the remaining four—London Spirit, Birmingham Phoenix, Trent Rockets, and Welsh Fire—maintain no IPL affiliations.
Key Dates:
The Draft: March 11th–12th
The Tournament: July 21st – August 16th
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